


The Long Haul

by e_frye



Series: Landlubber's Guide to Sailing [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Captain Swan - Freeform, F/M, Family Dynamics, Fluff and Angst, Magical Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-08 21:41:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 66,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3224444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/e_frye/pseuds/e_frye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>CS- When Emma Swan is affected by a magic spell which makes her rapidly pregnant with the unknown she finds more support than she could possibly imagine.</p><p>AU Canon Divergence after 4x11.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One: Ours

“Oh no.” Regina muttered sincerely as the golden snaking spell spilled out of the box and began to swirl around Emma’s feet snaking upwards.

“What do you mean oh no?” Emma replied calmly as she watched the spell wrap around her gently before disappearing entirely. “What’s going to happen to me now?” She looked at Regina her mouth hung agape as Regina clutched the spell containment box in her hands.

It had begun nearly three weeks ago, the sudden influx in dogs in Storybrooke was nothing the residences could not seem to handle and in fact many of them had enjoyed it. But then soon after came the reports of the strangest incidents as possible. Dogs and other animals running into the woods and coming back only to give birth to a litter days later. With Mr. Gold gone Regina and Emma had become the town’s experts in magic and together they had ventured out near the town line to find the stepping golden spell coming in from the outside world.

“I want you to know that I didn’t know that this was going to happen Miss Swan.” Regina said slowly.

Emma looked at her, believing the stunned look on the other woman face. “You said you knew who caused the spell that you had seen it before?”

She nodded. “There was a woman from another realm, she had an obsession with animals. But not live animals, she made a fortune trading their pelts. She would…” Regina paused looking Emma up and down biting at the edges of her lip. “We need to get back to my place.” She added abruptly.

Emma stood still, unmoving suddenly feeling very much like a science experiment. “What did she do Regina?” She wasn’t mad, really she wasn’t but the look of apprehension on the other woman face did nothing to quell the uneasiness she felt.

“She could get you any animal in any of the realms, rumors were that she bread them by magic. That she used a spell to create a rapid pregnancy in animals.”

Emma could feel her head spinning and her rapid heartbeat pounding in her ears as if she had just run a mile. “Am I pregnant?”

Regina looked at her with self-disappointment on her face. “I think so Miss Swan.”

Emma blinked. She looked down at her toes, at where the gooey golden spell had been wrapped around moments previous. She felt no different, perhaps suddenly a little bit hollow as her brain hurt at the thought that with some stupid little spell she could be pregnant. “With what?” She muttered aloud as Regina look her hand and began to lead her out of the forest to when they had parked their cars.

“What do you mean?” She asked off handedly with a small backward glance.

“The spell is for animals. Am I going to give birth of a dog, to a smoke monster?” _To a human_ , she asked herself silently. Who was the father, was there a father? This went against all grasps of biology that she knew but then again most magic did.

Regina turned around, grasping a hold of both of her hands and tilting her head to meet Emma’s eye. “You know that you don’t have to do this. That we can go see Dr. Whale and….” She paused not mentioning it by name but its presence very much there.

Emma looked up at her knowing that not doing this at all was a possibility… part of her was not so eager to be a part of an experiment. What if it was human the thing that could be growing inside of her. What if it was hers and…. “You said this would be accelerated, that was what happened with all the dogs. They went out by the town line and then a week later puppies. How many days does that give me?”

Reginald face scrunched as she did the math in her head. “A month maybe, perhaps a little more.”

A month, it suddenly seemed so long. She had done it once before but when she had been pregnant with Henry she had been scared and upset and feeling so very alone. She didn’t feel those things now.

“Wait a few days.” The words were slipping out of her mouth before she could grasp onto what she was saying. “Let’s see what it is I’m pregnant with and then I’ll decided what to do.”

Regina looked at her with surprise and adoration of her bravery. “Ok then.” She said matter of factly before she turned around to continue walking back to their cars.

Regina had offered to let her spend the night with her or at least drive her to her parents. But Emma wanted none of that so she got in her little yellow bug aware of Regina’s close eyes as she drove away and somehow found herself parked outside of Granny’s Dinner moment later. She went in through the back knocking on the door praying that he would answer it quickly.

“You look like hell love.”

Something in the way that his face fell from laughing to genuine concern made her wonder why she wasn’t just living with him yet. Maybe it was the way she worried about how her parents would react, or maybe it had something to do with this strangely Disney like morals of Storybrooke but after the events of the past few months they both knew, deep down inside they knew that this was something more.

She stepped inside past him without another word, not knowing what to say watching as he danced about the small room waiting for her to say or so something. She looked at him wondering what could possibly be going through his mind, it was late, very late and here she was somewhat speechless and standing in his apartment. “Weren’t you and Regina going too…?” Emma looked up at him her face paling as his voice trailed off. She opened her mouth to speak and quickly shut it, a wave of nausea coming over her.

She ran to the bathroom falling to her knees not even managing to turn the light on before she vomited into the toilet. She closed her eyes, the smell getting to her as it suddenly hit her that this was all real. It wasn’t a dream that she was suddenly going to wake up from tomorrow and puzzle at its bizarreness, this was her reality.

Her eyes were still closed but she could sense the light turning on and a gentle hand pulling her hair back as she wretched again.

“Some drinking buddy you are.” She let out a small laugh as she felt a sudden coolness along the back of her neck that made her shiver. Her eyes fluttered open to seen him placing her hair in the crook of his hook while his hand reached up for a towel. She watched in the reflection of the mirror as he wiped gently at the corner of her mouth.

“But you did this a lot for your crew.” Emma chided, the joke making her fell only somewhat better.

His head tilted as he nodded. “Surprisingly many of them had enough hair that needed to be held back.” He paused rubbing his hand gently against her back as she vomited once more. “Sure you’re okay.”

Emma wiped her mouth again before turning to look at him. She didn’t know, she really didn’t know and that sentiment was reflected clearly in her eyes. She watched as he moved to sit down next to her on the floor as if deciding then to settle in for a long night of holding back her hair. His blue eyes looked at her calmly and steadfast. It was his simple wordless actions which told her that he wasn’t going anywhere that she could tell him the truth and he would ask what she needed.

“Can you get my phone and call or text Regina that I am here?” The surprise was evident on his face at her choice of contact.

“Emma what happened in the woods?” His voice was a trifling whisper, suddenly he seemed so small and filled with worry not at all like the larger than life man she had first met years ago.

She tried her best to give him a smile but it was impossible. “Tell her to come over and she’ll help explain.” Her hair fell around her face once more as he reached into her jacket and took her phone, he held it in his hands slowly poking at it until he placed it up to his ear.

She must have picked up on the first ring. “Regina.” There was a pause in which Emma could almost hear the relief on the other end. “This is Killian. Emma is at my apartment she would like you to come over and explain.”

Emma hear the words, _in ten minutes,_ before he ended the call and placed the phone between them on the floor. Every line in his face was filled with worry as he looked at her, almost too afraid to touch her in case she would die. Emma took a deep rattling breath as she pulled her grip away from the toilet and sat back down on her knees. She had never done this before. Henry had been grown by the time Neal found out about him yet this seemed so much scarier. She had been mad then, mad at the actions and choices he had made about his own life, still mad about how he had abandoned her. Now she was just scared.

“Regina and I were trying to contain the spell, the one that was making all the dogs pregnant.” He nodded she had told him about it, he had even given his advice on what it could possibly be. “We nearly had it trapped inside one of Regina’s boxes. But then… it got on me. I’m pregnant.”

He blinked. “Is it ours?”

Emma fought back tears at his choice of wording. “I don’t know. It was a spell intended for animals, I don’t know what it is.”

His own eyes were watery as he nodded slowly. “What do you need?” His voice was stronger as if he had suddenly decided to stand up and be brave. “What do you need?” He asked again, she was in pain and he wanted to stop it, it was a simple as that. “Do you need something to eat because I will pillage that kitchen downstairs? Do I need to call people, make arrangements? You need somewhere to live. Because with your parents in that loft it will just be too crowded….” He was springing to his feet moving about like a mad man. “Emma.” He looked down at her a giddy little smile on his face.

Her hand reached up and took a hold of his. “Come here.” She muttered and he did as he was told. She pulled herself up and kissed him, fully aware that her breath stunk but he was kissing her just as hard. “Thank you.” She muttered as she pulled back, their foreheads touching. Thank you for not leaving, she wanted to add but there was still time for that to change.

Regina found them sitting on the bed when she arrived. Emma wrapped in Killian’s arms as his hand ran through her hair. She felt a twinge of guilt as she looked at the couple, but then she realized that even though they were happy they were in a less than ideal situation. She brought a pregnancy test for Emma, which confirmed what they all knew, she explained to Killian that they would all be meeting something with the span of a month. And then she looked up at both of them with a small smile. “Do you need anything?”

“We need a house.” Killian said firmly. “I would ask Mr. Gold but since he is gone...”

Regina nodded. “I can show you a few tomorrow.” She paused her smile widening. “When will you tell Henry?”

Emma shifted. She wondered if it would be easier to hold a press conference and tell the whole town then, everyone would likely know by the end of the week. “I’ll meet him for breakfast at Granny’s tomorrow, after I tell my parents.” She could feel him tense next to her. She looked up at him with a smirk. “Unless you’d rather I tell my father this at the station when he is armed?” Killian nodded in agreement.

Regina stood up, it was nearing midnight and she wanted her sleep as well. “Congratulations.” She said sincerely as she closed the door of the apartment on the couple.


	2. Day Two: Thinly Veiled Metaphors

Her whole body was sore, sore as if she had been thrown into a brick wall. It took her a moment to realize where she was, to remember what had happened the night before. Those seemed to be events which would not long be forgotten. She rolled out of bed to find Killian sitting at the small table pieces of paper all around him. He quickly moved to hide them as he noticed Emma walking back into the room.

“How do you feel?” He asked genuinely handing her a piece of toast which she took a small bit out of before looking at the clock.

“Not all that well.” She leaned over the table trying to see what he was hiding. She caught a few words but could not make sense of them. “I’m going to change and then head to my parents.”

He stood up swiftly. “I’ll come with you.”

She was touched by his heroism but worried about what could possibly happen if he was in the same room as David and Mary Margaret right now. “Fine, but you’ll stay in the car until the storm has passed.” He nodded and they silently both got ready for the day. Emma pulling out some of the spare clothes which she kept in his apartment knowing that soon they would not fit her.

They drove across town in silence watching as the rest of the town slowly bloomed into life. They waved to her, the citizens of Storybrooke land.  All the fairy tale creatures she had even know, they waved to her as she drove her car. For a moment the absurdity of the town seemed to hit her here she was Emma Swam, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming driving in her car with her boyfriend Captain Hook. It seemed absurd but then she remembered that this was her life a life. And that it was far better than the one she had lived before she had met Henry and the citizens of this town.

They pulled up in front of the building, Killian needing to be told once again to stay outside before Emma took a breath and walked up. Like a band aid, just pull it off like a band aid and tell them. Inside the Charming residence Emma found a hectic morning. Neal was screaming loudly, throwing his stuffed toys as Mary Margaret tried to coo at him while also talking on the phone and David made breakfast with one hand while also trying to distract his son with another.

“Coffee?” her father called out as she closed the door behind her.

“Yes….NO.” Emma said loudly. The whole room silencing and turning to look at her. “No thanks.” She added feeling her cheeks blush as if she was a teenager once again. She had never had to worry about what her parents would say when she fell pregnant at 18 because she didn’t have parents back then. She slid up to the counter, taking Neal away from Mary Margaret who smiled in appreciation and began to talk frantically into the phone. She bounced her brother up and down as he quieted. “Mom.” She said in a small voice. “Mom.” She added a tiny bit louder her mother still not noticing her. “Mom I’m pregnant.” The words slipped off her tongue with little knowledge.

“I’m going to have to call you back.” Mary Margaret replied meekly into the phone as she stared at her daughter.

There was a loud bang as a flying pan collided with the stove top. “I’m going to kill that pirate.” David muttered his face cold.

“Dad.” Emma said calmly reaching out a hand to try and touch him to calm him down.

“Mary Margaret where is my sword? This is a gun _and_ sword type of situation.” He grunted as he moved quickly through the apartment.

“Dad it’s not what you think let me explain.” Emma yelled, as Neal cried out again. She shushed him quietly. “Regina and I were in the forest last night, trying to contain that spell that was getting all the animals pregnant, but it got me. It latched onto me and now I’m….”

David turned and snapped at her. “But it’s his isn’t it?”

“I don’t know.” Emma replied honestly. “I don’t even know if it’s human, I could be giving birth to an alien for all I know.” She looked in between them both, comforted somewhat in seeing them both relax as they looked at her.

Mary Margaret’s face was all scrunched up in concentration. “Wait you said that this all happened last night.” She paused as she watched her daughter nod. “Then how… Emma I don’t…”

“In the animals it was all accelerated, they went into the woods and then a week later a dog was giving birth to a full liter. An hour after it happened I tested positive on a pregnancy test. It’s strange and it’s magical and it’s happening to me.” She paused taking a deep breath, there was a glimmer of pride appearing in her parents faces. “And I need you to support me. Because I didn’t have any help the last time and I don’t want to do this alone again.” She could feel tears swimming in her eyes, but she held them back.

“Okay Emma.” Her mother said, placing a hand on her shoulder, looking pointedly at her husband. Out of the pair she was by far the one who made the more important decisions. “Whatever you need.”

There was that phrase again, people offering her support and help. Ever since she had come to Storybrooke that was what she had been greeted with, well with the exception of the biannual villain invasion. She looked at her parents not knowing what she actually needed from them. She was a grown woman, she had made her own way in her life, most of it without anyone. “I’m going to be late to meet Henry.” She said pushing her hair away from her face as she handed off Neal to David.

“Do you need a ride?” He asked her with a small smile of apology

Emma nearly laughed at the absurdity wondering what was possibly going through his head. “No I drove here. I’ll see you at the station.” Emma stood, feeling somewhat dizzy though some of that most likely had to do with the surrealism of the conversation she had just had with the parent who were her own age.

Killian was outside of the car trying to lure over something from the bushes. “Come here Rodger.” He called out in a sweet voice which Emma had never heard him use before. “Rodger come here.” He straighten as the door slammed shut behind her looking the same as always. But there was something different in the way he held himself, he was less tense more natural in his movements, finally comfortable in Storybrooke perhaps.

He kissed her gently on the forehead clearly aware that eyes above were looking down on them. He started to wave at the apartment above when Emma stopped him. “Who’s Rodger?”

“Oh.” He said pointing to the bushes. “There was this dog….”

“And Rodger is a good name for a dog?” She bent down and saw in the bushes and saw the sad dark eyes and floppy ears of a small dog. “Come here Lady.” The roan colored Cocker Spaniel bounded out of the bushes, its long curls dancing in the morning light as it nipped at Emma’s feet. She bent down and picked up the dog which easily settled into her arms licking her gently. Even he could not resist running his hands through the dog’s fur and petting it gently.

“How do you know it isn’t a Rodger?” Killian asked as she transferred the dog to him and pulled out her car keys.

“Cause it’s like the dog in the movie Lady and the Tramp.” She replied light as she closed the car door and placed the keys in the transmission.

“Is that a thinly veiled metaphor Swan?” He asked as he got into the car.

“Maybe.” She chuckled as they pulled away.

**

Henry took the news surprisingly well. Regina had prepared him, told him that something had happened to Emma in the forest that a spell had touched her and that while she was unharmed there were going to be some changes.

“Is the baby going to have any powers?” Henry asked as he finished his second pancake.

She was looking around to see if anyone had heard here. This was not the best place to have the most private of conversations. “I don’t know kid. Why would you think that?”

“Well it was conceived by magic…” Her eyebrows raised hopping that he had learned that word in science class. “You have magic, Hook was immortal for a while it makes sense.

His logic was correct, even if there was a whole lot of terrifying ifs in there. If she even gave birth to anything that was alive. “Then why don’t you have magic?” She whispered teasingly at him.

Henry shrugged. “Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. Maybe it’s because you and my dad aren’t each other OTL. One true love.  But I’m good for now though.” Emma smiled at him, remembering how reluctantly she had been just a few years ago to welcome him into her life. She had though that he would be a reminder of Neal, that he would be a walking mistake of her past. But he wasn’t, sometimes she was incredibly grateful of who Regina had shaped him into being.

“You really think that Neal and I weren’t one true loves?” Henry nodded so slightly that she doubted he even realized he was doing it. Sometimes she had to admit that she thought he was right. At least about the whole one part. She had loved Neal, part of her always would, but she had been able to move past him and rather easily as well. Maybe she didn’t have a one true love in the sense of her parents. The constant promise to be with someone no matter the circumstances, to always find your way back to them. At least not a partner who was her OTL as Henry put it.

Henry was looking past the booth that they were sitting in, smiling as he watched Killian on the patio playing with the dog. “I don’t know Mom things seem to working your way in the end. The guy, the dog, the house.”

“How do you know about the house?”

“Mom was loudly muttering to herself this morning… and I saw the papers coming off the printer.”

She sighed loudly. “All right then school, work let go.” She said pointing to Henry and herself before bouncing out of the booth. She tucked him under her arm, knowing that soon he would grow too tall to do such a thing. They stepped outside into the brisk morning, the ice wall may be gone, but winter was coming now.

“Can Killian walk me to school?” Henry said looking up at her with a small twinkling in his eye, it may have been the first time he had ever called him by his first name. She looked between the two of them, biting her lip knowing that Henry was going to give him a potentially more grueling ‘what are your intentions’ inquisition that David could ever manage.

“Yeah sure kid.” She said, giving him a squeeze as she watched the odd pair walk off down the street, the little dog bouncing in their wake. “Good luck.” She laughed as they disappeared out of sight.

**

It was quite possibly from the look on David’s face when she walked into the sheriff’s office that he did not intend for her to show up for work today. She sat down at her desk trying to work, there were files sitting waiting to be looked at but suddenly she felt the need to do none of those things. She worked slowly making calls about this and that, trying to sound absolutely normal about everything but it felt impossible. She was suddenly afraid that her voice alone could signify that she was expecting who knows what. But still she made it through lunch with only a few runs to vomit, with enough to do to try and occupy her mind about something else.

It was shortly after two ‘o’clock when she heard a small noncommittal grunt come out of David’s mouth. She thought nothing of it, until he repeated it once again. For not being her father for nearly twenty eight years he had certainly eased into the embarrassing dad role. She looked up to see Killian standing, shifting from foot to foot. Part of her missed the days in which the clanging of his boots indicated his arrival.

“Hello… David.” He said mustering all of his courage. It was in times like these when Emma could never believe him to have once been like the villain in a fairytale.

“Hook.” David clipped moving his arm to rest against the back of his chair very visibly exposing his holstered gun.

Emma stood moving quickly to his side, his fingers dancing across her as if they were children secretly holding hands behind parents’ backs. “Appointment with Whale.” He whispered into her ear.

“Going somewhere?” David asked in a voice which was rather inquisitorial.

Emma leaned into Killian. “Get my coat.” She whispered into his ear. He scuttled off grabbing her red leather coat. She leaned forward onto his desk. “Cut.It.Out.” She hissed at her father as Killian returned helping her put on her jacket. “The _sheriff_ will be available on her cell phone for the rest of the day.” She waiting until she was out of her father’s sight before she placed his arm around her shoulders.

It was awkward sitting together in silence at the hospital, not wanting to say anything. They held hands in silent anticipation each of them hoping the other didn’t sense how terrified they were. Emma felt alone, alone in the fact that she was dealing with something unprecedented. This worried her. It concerned everyone in her life and while she was wincing in anticipation of what her father would say next. Above all she was petrified with the look of commitment in Killian’s eyes. He was _in_ , she knew it, Henry knew it, heck even Regina had seen it last night. But Emma was holding off, holding off until she knew exactly what it was that inside her.

The glimmer of interest in Dr. Whale’s eyes reminded her starkly of his past. She sat on the exam table, watching as he drew blood with the fervor of a symphony conductor sharing a look of hesitation with Killian.

“Um Regina filled you in, didn’t she?” Emma said as she wordlessly did what he was indicating her to do.

“Yes, yes.” He replied his gloved hand moving about as she placed her legs up in the stirrups, suddenly feeling as if the embarrassed would cause her to melt away. “You were hit with the same spell all those dogs were. They conceived and had a full term pregnancy in seven days. Utterly fascinating to see what will happen with you.”

Her head sank against the table. “Look mate. These are real human lives here could you be a little more sensitive.” Killian snapped his voice breaking as she saw a tear run down his cheek. Emma tilted her head to see the doctor nearly quivering in fear.

“I’m sorry.” Whale muttered, moving quickly on with the exam before he rolled his chair away from her and indicated that she could put her legs down. “In the past subjects a day equated to a little over a week. I think that based on that… Regina was right in assuming this would be about thirty day long gestation. The blood test will hopefully confirm that in medical terms you are a little past two weeks pregnant.” Emma felt herself nodding coldly, the same cold hard nod of realization which she had done some thirteen years ago. “I’ll want you to come in regularly, daily if you can manage it.”

Emma sat up, her hand never breaking from Killian’s. “When can we do an ultrasound to see what it is?” She asked sharply.

“Let’s say this Sunday, barring any complications we should get a good idea then.” Emma nodded watching as he left. Daily doctor’s appointments, a dog, and a house. Never in her life did so many mundane things seem to make such a big impact.

“Houses.” Emma muttered to herself as she began to change. “Regina had print out of houses.”

He let out a small laugh. “I kind of promised Henry that he could have a voice in the process.” He blushed but she saw no reason for him to be embarrassed.

“He should. It will be his house too. He gets out of school soon. We can… we can pick him up and the go look at them.” She said the words feeling somewhat metallic on her tongue.

**

Twenty minutes later Henry was jumping over the front seats in the back of the bug, Emma suddenly realizing that she might need a bigger car.

“Okay so I looked over what we discussed this morning.” He said pulling out a stack of papers. Emma saw the guilty look from the pirate next to her out of the corner of her eye. She thought it was sweet in a way. “These three are out. Way to close to Grandma and Grandpa Charming.”

Killian turned around to face him “What’s wrong with that?”

Emma laughed. “For one, the start of many sitcom hijinks I don’t want my life to become. Carry on Henry.”

“This one.” He said holding up a piece of paper. “Just no… not for you too. So we are down to these two.” He said passing forward the papers. Emma scanned the real estate listing which Regina had no doubt put together since such a market didn’t really exist in Storybrooke. Both houses were near the marina, within biking distance from Regina’s house, had large yards, more bedrooms that Emma thought was needed. One was yellow, the other made of wooden shingles turning slowly to grey with the sea water. “Both are unlocked.” Henry said with a coy little smile as he settled into the back of the car.

They pulled away, Emma having the slightest feeling of a trap as they drove towards the first house. The little yellow house seemed fine. She walked through the empty rooms hearing Henry run around upstairs calling out what he saw. You could see the ocean from nearly every window, but it felt empty in a way she could not describe.

From the road the wooden house seemed just as disappointing set back against the road the long grassy lawn which gave way to a small looking house. It was fading rapidly from a warm wood to a marbled grey, its windows accented brightly in blue frames. She opened the door and heard a small gasp from the boys behind her. The windows were vast, the light flooding in nearly blinding as if flowed into the great room. _Curtains_ , were her first thought. Once again Henry and Killian ran off to explore, calling of after one another at each new closet. Emma walked towards the windows, pressing her nose against the glass as she looked down. The house extended for another floor below, leading out onto a cement patio and a small stone lined winding path down to the water, where a long dock and a boat house reached out to the sea.

“Emma.” She turned to see him standing next to her with a smile on his face. Suddenly it wasn't too soon, suddenly she wasn't afraid, she was just as in as he was. She sniffled, her hand wiping away at the tears which were silently falling down her face. In the distance she could hear Henry yell. _There’s a laundry shoot._ He laughed, tucking her under his shoulder with his hooked arm. “What’s wrong?” He whispered as he kissed the top of her head over and over again.

Emma grasped at her breath as his good hand brushed away her tears. “I've never had a house of my own before.”


	3. Day Three: I'm a Traditionalist

_Norma. Try to be normal._ Emma told herself as she put down the phone and looked around the empty sheriff’s station. _Fly casual_. Yeah no, that didn’t really apply to her situation either. No one knew, except for Killian, Henry, Regina, her parents and Dr. Whale, but no one else needed to know at least not until after the weekend. The reality gave her little comfort as she stood, picking up her gun and grabbing her car keys. Something down at the mines. There was always something happening down at the mines which she had to deal with.

She pulled out her phone, scrolling though it idly. She should text someone, someone should know where she was in case something should happened and something would happen. _Heading to the mines to check out a disturbance._ She looked at the text, still without a recipient, she tapped at David’s name. He should know, it would be strange if she didn’t know where she was since they worked together.

She pulled up to the mines shortly after sending the text, reminded painfully of how small Storybrooke was. Leroy was waiting for her, his face scrunched up in the cold, his breath hanging in the air. “Hey Sheriff Swan.” He said glumly as she approached.

“Leroy.” She gave a swift nod. “What seems to be the problem?”

“Got a visitor down around turn five.” She could tell from his tone of voice who the visitor in question was.

“Scarlet?” She said with a quick nod, reaching for her flashlight as she entered the mine. They had rigged it up with lights overhead, but it was still dark to her. “Come on Will. This really isn’t funny.” Emma said as she reached around her back, making sure her handcuffs were there.

“You’re not in charge of me.” The sullen voice echoes across the walls of the mines.

Emma sighed. “Yeah well with Robin gone you either need to listen to me or stay out of everyone’s way. You can’t just come in here Will.”

“Why not?”

She rolled her eyes fully whipping out her handcuffs now. It was as if this was practice for Henry and the years to come she was not looking forward to those years. She wondered who Will had been in the other realm, he was still something of a mystery to her, but one that she did not have the patience to deal with today. “Will either you walk out with me right now, or I am cuffing you and dragging you back to the station. What’s it going to be?”

There was movement down the mine shift and she flicked her light across the way to shine into Will’s sad longing eyes, he looked like a hurt dog. She cocked her head back in the direction of the surface. He followed behind her two steps wordlessly. They stepped outside into the bright light only to be accosted by someone running quickly towards them.

“Emma are you alright?” David yelled as moved past her and grabbed a hold of Will moving to handcuff him.

“Yeah I’m fine…”

“You should have waited for me.” He said strongly as he threw Will against the hood of his car

“What are you doing?” He looked up at her as if she was the insane one.

“Arresting him for breaking and entering into the-”

Will was protesting, words like I didn’t and killjoy slipping out of his mouth. “Let him go David.”

“Emma.”

“He’s free to go. The dwarves don’t want any trouble they just want him to stop drunkenly crawling into their mines. Go Will and stick to the woods.” Emma said her hands on her hips watching as David backed away and Will exaggeratedly rubbed at his wrists. She was shaking her head at him. “Get in the car David.” He looked at her confused. “Get in the car Dad.” She yelled.

“I really wouldn’t mess with her mate.” Will muttered and Emma gave him a dark look which sent him off running while David slunk into the car.

She followed him and began the car, pulling away quickly from the mine and back onto the road. “Emma you shouldn’t drive when you are angry.” David muttered under his breath. “You shouldn’t try to be angry at….”

Emma pulled the car over to the side of road breaking more than was necessary. “What the hell is your problem? Because for the past twenty four hours you’ve just been… I can’t even put it into words how much of a jerk you’ve been.”

He took a long deep breath looking out of the front window rather than at his daughter. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.” He said quietly.

She sunk back into the seat of the car, half agreeing with him. “How far back do you want to go on that, because we could start with the day I was born?”

“You’re my daughter Emma, my pregnant daughter and I want you to be safe. I was worried.”

“There is a difference between being worried, and putting someone in a cage. I am still the sheriff of this town, and I intend to be for the future. I texted you so you knew where I was, it wasn’t a call for back up. What you did back there was embarrassing.”

“Why did you text ho-Killian?”

She looked at him with a small smile. “Because I knew that he would do exactly what you just did.” She replied in a whisper

He looked chuffed “I guess we agree on something then.”

Emma laughed. “You know that me being pregnant is not going to change the fact that I’m still working. You know that, because you’ve seen Mary Margaret do the same thing twice, don’t expect anything other than that from me. And don’t… Killian and I will tell this town what is happening when we are ready. And we have a couple of days of this being between the family, don’t ruin it.”

“Okay Emma if that is what you want.”

“Thank you. I know that this has to be hard on you, it is hard on me. And just to let you know I’ll be coming over tomorrow to pack up my things.”

 

“You’re moving out?”

Emma laughed. “Had to happen at some point.”

“Where?”

She turned and smiled at him. “You wanna see?” She added with childlike enthusiasm. He nodded and she started the car once more.

They were silent as she drove towards the ocean, it was a silence Emma appreciated as they let the world pass them by. She pulled up into the driveway, already feeling somewhat giddy just approaching the house that was hers. He could sense it as the car stopped and they were greeted with a blast of salty air her excitement in this simple action of finally having a house.

He felt a small twinge of guilt as he followed his daughter up towards the front door. She was a princess, she should have had a castle by now. Her life could have been different, he wanted it to have turned out differently, but he didn’t see how that could have happened. He had done what was he thought to be best for her and he was ashamed to know that it had resulted in an unhappy childhood, law-breaking teen years and wandering adulthood. But now, she was finally home and he had to choke back tears as he walked into the empty house.

Emma was grinning from ear to ear as she showed him around. Their voices dancing off the bare walls as their footsteps echoed across the wooden floor. She waved her hand about as she showed him room after room, some had already been decided in her mind what they would be, others were just blank. The top floor consisted of the living room area and two bedrooms, the bottom floor had a kitchen and dining area which could easily spill out doors, a master bedroom and another smaller bedroom. They stepped out onto the patio the cold nearly wintery air swirling all around them. Even through the house was empty he could already see it now. There would be a boat tied up at the dock bellow, Henry’s things scattered about, the strangest trinkets imaginable decorating the walls. He never imagined that she would live in a castle by the sea.

“Emma.” He breathed as they stood shoulder by shoulder. He pulled her in for a tight embrace. “I think you are going to be very happy here.” He whispered into her ear.

“So then you’ll ease up on the both of us?” She said as they broke apart.

He chuckled, “I will try, but you know as your father it is sort of my job.”

She nodded. “I know, but sometimes you make it very hard for me to know what you are really thinking.”

“Emma….” His voice broke and he paused to clear his throat. “I used to imagine what you would be like when you were older. Don’t be to frighten but I used to imagine the type of queen you would be. No I never imagined that your life would end up like this that you would end up with someone like Killian Jones, but I think you were meant to. And I see that it makes you very happy.”

Tears were rolling down her cheeks. “Thank you.” She squeaked as she wiped them away.

“I want both of you to come over tomorrow for dinner tomorrow, bring Henry too.” She nodded as he hugged her once more, at least knowing that she had his approval seemed to be enough.

 

**

The sun had set on this third day of madness and Emma sat on the couch at Killian’s apartment for the last time. He had spent the day packing his things and surrounded by boxes they lay together side by side as the TV gently played in the background, yet neither of them was really watching the movie. Lady rested on his lap, and her fingers were gently petting the dog as his arm wrapped around her.

“My parents want us to come over for dinner tomorrow.” He stiffed ever so slightly. “Is that okay?”

“Your father isn’t going to try and kill me is he?”

She laughed. “Noooo.” She said in long exaggeration. “I talked to him today, well put him in his place after he embarrassed me at the mines. I showed him the house.”

“What did he say?”

“That he’s glad I am happy.”

“Are you?”

Her smile faded a bit, surprised that he could see through her that well. But then I guess after three hundred years you learned how to read a person. “Most of the time I am, but the whole magical pregnancy thing frightens me. I’m trying not to get to attached or excited because I am worried that in the end there may be nothing at all.”

Lady got up and bounced to the floor as he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in close to him. He had the same concerns. He had been so excited about them prospect of them finally having something to tie them together, to make them join their lives and have every one accept it, but he knew in just a few days all that could come crashing down around them. “If there is... if for whatever reason… if there is no baby.” He was struggling to get the words out, and while she was not looking at him she could sense the tears. “I still want to….”

“So do I.” She said quickly to keep herself from crying.

“Yeah. We can do it the normal way next time we have a child.” She nodded against his chest. Feeling relief. She looked down at his hand and hook and then laughed to herself. “What?” He asked slightly insulted.

“You don’t have a left hand.”

“I really hope that you are not just realizing this now love.” He muttered sarcastically.

“Well no it’s just… when we get married what are you going to do put a wedding band on your hook?”

He laughed, rustling her hair with his hand. “I just thought it would go on the one hand I do have.”

“No I’m a traditionalist.” Emma teased jokingly. “It’s gotta go on the left. That or I just engrave property of Emma Swan largely on all your hooks.” Her head bounced as they both laughed together over the absurdity of it all.

He pulled off the hook and tossed in her lap. “You better get started then.” She held it in her hands, her fingers tracing the curves of the metal. If you had told her a year ago that she would be here, she would have thought it was a lie. She turned her head about to see the gentle look in his eyes.

“I love you, but you know that don’t you.” Emma whispered.

His head nodded as he kissed her hair. “I loved you for a long time Emma, and I’m glad this is where we finally are. Even if we did take the strangest path to get here.”


	4. Day Four: Go Home

Emma bounded down the steps which lead into the dinner a smile on her face even though she was aware of what she was facing and assumed that most people would not be smiling if they were in her position. She sat at the counter, blissfully thinking to herself that this was the day she got to move into her own house. Ruby slid up behind it and handed her a cup of coffee.

“It’s the big day then.” She said with a smile as she poured the coffee. Emma panicked mentally for a moment. “I never thought I would see the day when he would move out and into a place of his own. He must really like you Swan.” She said leading on the counter with a wicked smile on her face.

She remembered the conversation of the night before and the simple action of him giving her his hook so she could carve her name into it. It wasn’t an official proposal, but it certainly was a sign of commitment. She wondered if news about him moving out from Granny’s had also consider with her vacating her parents. “Yeah he really does.” She smiled down at the mug of coffee which would go untouched. She couldn’t keep from smiling, even though it felt like the stupidest emotion in the world at that very moment.

Ruby grinned right back at her. “It’s nice to know that…” She paused shaking her head as if she was ashamed of her thought. “That people like him and I, people with not exactly the best past that we can find happiness here.”

She opened her mouth to reply by Emma felt a gently hand rest on her back. “It’s time to go Miss Swan.” She turned to see Regina. She had offered to help them and Emma had been grateful. Killian still didn’t have many friends in town, and it was certainly less awkward than her parents coming to help them. Emma turned to say something to Ruby, but she was already down at the other end of the counter helping someone else out.

She stood looking around the dinner. She knew it was far from the last time she would be here, but something felt final. She had come here because she hadn’t had any kitchen for herself to make breakfast, she had spent more time here than she ever had in her apartment, but now there wasn’t as much of a reason to come. She followed Regina out onto the street, getting into her car. Lady barked at her.

“Turns out Regina isn’t much of a dog person.” Killian muttered as he gave her a small peck on the cheek.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” Emma muttered as she started the engine.

There was a present silence as they drove away from the town and back towards the sea. The trees growing thicker in this more secluded part of town. Emma helped as much as they would let her. She wanted to talk to Regina alone but she never got much of a chance. He never seemed to leave the two women alone as if he was afraid of what they would do to one another. Emma wanted to say something to her, but she still wasn’t sure what.

It didn’t take long to get two small cars worth of boxes into the house. But it still felt empty. “Where do you get furniture here?” Emma muttered as she realized she had never questioned how they got anything into the town. “Do you just bippity boppity boo it into existance?”

“You can always try the pawn shop” Regina muttered clearly not mentioning who had once run said shop. “Sorry I can’t stay I need to…”

“Regina don’t forget to tell Henry...” Emma turned to see her already gone. Something sank within her, she tried to consider this from her perspective but she was a little too occupied with her own problems. “I’m going to go my parents and get what is left of my stuff.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

She shook her head. “Stay here and unpack your things. I should be back in an hour or so.” She leaned in and kiss him, sinking into him a bit as she breathed him in. She wasn’t scared of their relationship any more, she wasn’t scared of the commitment and it was a feeling which she wanted to last forever because even she had seen her perfect parents argue over silly things.

It was quiet when she got to the loft, she expected it to be empty but Mary Margaret was there gently placing items into boxes on the kitchen table. She smiled as Emma entered. “I never realized how little things you had.” She said, sadness in her voice.

She felt guilty, she had never in her life properly settled into any one place. Even her apartment in Boston which she had been living in for years had been sparsely filled. A few basics and nothing more, Emma still had that foster care mentality, ready to move at any moment and never put down roots. Until now, now she had a big house in which Mary Margaret could fill with many different things that she could fill with things.

Emma did a sweep of the place, finding that most of hers and Henry’s things had already been collected by Mary Margaret. She grabbed a small handful of things and placed them with the others. “Did you know when you moved in with me that I was your mother?”

She chuckled, that seemed like such a long time ago. “Henry had told me his theory, but I don’t think I really believed him.”

She nodded, “He had told me his theories as well and I didn’t believe them either.” She paused darkly. “It feels like you should still be here. I mean I know that it is good that you are actually moving out, but part of me feels like I’m losing you again.”

“Sometimes when Henry is with Regina, it used to bother me. I know she has the right to be with him, that she raised him and that she loves him. But when I first met her she was… evil. And even though she has changed and I trust her with Henry, part of me felt that I was doing the wrong thing. Nothing about our family situation is easy or normal, and I think we are doing just fine.”

Her mother had tears in her eyes. “You make me really proud when you say that.” Mary Margaret wheezed pulling her in for a hug. “I know this is hard for your father and I, but I can’t even imagine how hard it is for you. I always knew you would be this brave.”

“Because I’m the savior?”

“Because you’re my daughter.”

They embraced once more and finished packing while they remembered the times that they had spent together, both in time they did know they were related and when they did not. As she expected there were some things that Mary Margaret gave to her. And she was surprised when she asked to come with her. “Don’t you have mayoral responsibilities?”

She smiled. “My daughter is moving into her first home they can wait.” She said stubbornly as she stacked two boxes on top of one another and lifted them up. It only took three trips for them to move everything into her car. They talked excitedly in the car, Mary Margaret wanting to know every single detail of the house which she was about to momentarily see.

Just like David she had been equally moved as they stepped into the house, which was somewhat more frantic than she had been when she had left it. A large truck was parked outside and furniture was being moved in. She stepped inside to see Killian directing the traffic as if he was in command of a ship. “Where did this all come from?” Emma asked

“Well some of it is from the bed and breakfast, since they don’t exactly have a business coming in Granny gave it to me. Ruby also seems to have spread the word around town about my taking up a residence and there have been donations.”

Emma laughed. “Taking up a residence with me?” She whispered into his ear.

“The town gossip can apparently be also very discreet if you’re in her good graces.” He muttered back to her. “Mary Margaret.” He said as he noticed her standing in the doorway.

“Killian.” She said with a large grin as she hugged him in welcome. He seemed unsure of what to do with him arms as she embraced him warmly. “This is quite something.” She was smiling in pride as she looked around.

He nodded. “I think they will be gone soon if we want to hold off on…” bringing in Emma’s things, was what he communicated with a lift of his brow.

“Oh screw it, they’re going to know soon enough anyways.” Emma said loudly. “Unload my car while you are at it.” She shouted to the room at large as she tossed the car keys to Doc. She grabbed at Killian hand like an excited child. “Show me what you have done so I can make you change it all.”

They walked through their house in giddy excitement as she took the lead. He listened with a smile as she contemplated the best placement of sofas and end tables. Never in her life had she been so excited by soft furnishings. This was theirs and damn it if they weren’t going to have things in the best possible way. Only Henrys room and the _other_ one were left untouched by her will as she asked him to move things around.

At the end, when the house was nearly cleared of the town of Storybrooke’s donors they stood together on the lower level looking out at the horizon beyond. The kitchen was filled with more trinkets and gadgets and mismatched dishes than she could have ever imagined. She turned back to look at what was hers, a warm felling coming over her. She looked at the dining table and chairs, it looked familiar. She placed her hand upon the wood, stained and worn with age, she tried to remember where she had seen it before.

“It’s from the Jolly Rodger.” He whispered into her hear.

Tears were clouding her eyes and she didn’t know why. “But you traded the ship so that you could find me?”

“But not everything on it.” She leaned into him. “You okay?”

She nodded, she was more than okay. She was satisfied and gratified with the people of Storybrooke, with their generosity. She was floored by how much something which could have been a horrible situation had turned into a great one. She was stunned that she finally had some semblance of the life and family that she had wished for when she was a child.

 

**

“Please tell me there are no weapons within a five mile radius of this house?” Emma whispered into her mother’s ear as she entered into the house.

“Emma.” She chided her voice hot in Emma’s ear.

“I’m not joking.” She added as she pulled away and was relieved to see that Henry was already sitting on the floor waving toys for Neal to crawl towards. She felt somewhat safer knowing that there was less likely to be any sort of a major family blowup now that Henry was there. Somehow his presence made them all act on their best behavior, at least for now.

“Mom.” He ran to her hugging her tightly. “Killian.” He added with a slight hesitation. Emma knew what he had almost called him, what was on the tip of his tongue when he realized who else was in the room. Somehow it didn’t scare her as much as it should as she watched him lightly hug the man he almost called dad.

Neal kept them all occupied, while dinner finished cooking. “You’re going to have to give me lessons of how to be a big sibling.” Henry said as he handed off the squealing little boy to Killian.

She felt her throat tighten, he was assuming too much, getting his hopes up while she was being firmly grounded. “Yeah I guess I will Henry.” She said as she watched her brother grabbing at Killian’s hook.

Dinner was a more pleasant affair than she had assumed it would be. Supportive, that was what she had asked her parents to be and that was what they were. She was glad to see that it wasn’t a ruse as well, that both of them in the past few days had come to see what Emma had seen in Killian. Sure there were a few suspicious facial expressions from David, maybe one or kicks under the table that he received as well, but in all it went well.

“To new adventures.” David said as he finished his toast, smiling at them genuinely. There was still much that was up in the air, but regardless of the outcome it was a new adventure for both of them.

Later on as the plates were cleared Henry smiled mysteriously. “Maybe we should do this more often, since we’re not living her anymore. Like weekly Friday night dinners?”

Emma was not surprised by the nods of head. “Maybe not Friday night?”

“What’s wrong with Friday night?” Mary Margaret said with a snap of her head.

“In a few years he is going to regret the choice that he has to spend every Friday night with his grandparents.”

David coughed loudly in order to get attention. “What about Sunday then.”

“Works for me, this Sunday.” Emma said, four days away. She watched her son begin to open his mouth once again. He was going to ask about Belle, she shook her head at him. She had been through enough as it was in the past few weeks, she didn’t need to be dragged into the madness just yet or at all if she did not want it.

An hour later they stood up ready to leave. Emma looked around she still had a key to this place, she was still welcomed to come at any time. To her it didn’t feel final, it wasn’t as much of an emotional upheaval as it was to her parents who looked as if this was the day she had been placed in the wardrobe and sent to this world. They hugged her both tightly, they even group hugged Killian and both muttered something into his ear. They walked them to her car and stood waving and smiling as they drove off.

They talked about school as they drove Henry to Regina’s, what he was reading for classwork and how he didn’t see the point of math. They wished him goodbye and waved to Regina as she met him in the doorway. Henry had already asked to spend the weekend with them, muttering something about grand plans for his room.

It took Emma a moment to remember where she was driving to next as the door to Regina’s house closed shut. She was going to her house, she had to remind herself. In the dark of night she smiled to herself as she pulled away from the curb.

“What did my parents whisper in your ear? Did my father threaten to disembowel you?”

“No.” He whispered softly. He was quiet for a while as they turned towards their house. The car stopped in the drive and both of them sat for a while. “They told me they were glad that I was in their life.” He whispered he looked at her his eyes watery. “I don’t think anyone has ever been glad I was in their life before.”

She took his head with both of her hands, her fingers interning in his short hair as she pulled him closer to her. She kissed him gently. “They really are.” She kissed him once more his stubble catching on her. “Henry is.” She told him truthfully with another kiss. “And I am so, so, amazingly happy that you are in my life. Now let’s go home.”


	5. Day Five: Puzzle Pieces

He had been considering for weeks, ever since he had gotten his heart back, something more permanent with Emma. He had nearly been able to break hold of Gold’s control, the knowledge of that the simple grabbing of her hand was more than enough of a wakeup call to tell him that his was something real. He had never felt this way about anyone before not in all of his long life.

Even with Milah it had been something more physical, an electric connection fueled by their rebellion of society and the lives they had lead. But he had never held back her hair while she clutched pale faced over a toilet bowl, something which he had done frequently in the past five days. He had never been worried or concerned about her even though he knew she could handle herself. There had been a flutter in his heart at the sight of Milah, but never the panic of her wellbeing as there was with Emma. He had never grown into a better person because of Milah, he had never told her to write her name into his hook and claim him for herself. Maybe he had been a fool to consider that the type of love worth avenging for but at least it had brought him here to Emma.

“I’m pregnant.” His heart had skipped a beat out of unimaginable joy when she said that, he wasn’t ashamed to admit that to himself. He wanted it so badly to be theirs, to be normal and safe. For once he wanted magic to work in his favor. But she was skeptical. Even if she did not tell him as much he could tell from the way she handled herself from her choice of words, she was still doubting whether or not this would work in their favor. But even if it didn’t there was still a future beyond what ever happened in the next month, there was still a silent agreement that they were together, together for the long haul.

They got ready for the day in small silence, dancing around on another in the half unpacked house that was theirs. Each of them silently cursing the fact that they were up before the sun, but he found relief in their little encounters. Hands brushing as they passed things to one another, Emma buttoning up his black shirt for him without him even having to ask, the tiny smiles of excitement that they gave one another. He knew this was new for both of them that this simple joy this time alone created was not going to last forever, but he wanted to remember this he wanted to remember every single moment. The way Emma looked as she put on her makeup in the mirror, as she blow-dried her hair as she stood considering what to wear for the day as she reminded him to feed the dog. He was enamored by her and he didn’t want to keep it hidden.

They left in the same comfortable silence as they got in the car and headed to the hospital for her daily checkup. He would need to learn how to drive, he reminded himself as she pulled out of the drive testing out a new route into town. Even if he didn’t do it much it would still be a good excuse to get her a bigger car. They didn’t need to talk as they sat in the cold exam room listening to Dr. Whale drone on, he held her hand with the only one he had, occasionally giving her a squeeze of encouragement.

The sun had risen by the time they left the hospital, they drove to the dinner and to him it seemed to have changed overnight into something completely different, even though he knew it had not. They had breakfast with Henry, he watched as Emma picked at her food barely eating and occasionally nodding at her son her mind elsewhere. The boy reminded them with a smile that tomorrow was Friday and that he would be spending the night at their place. Killian could have sworn that Henry gave him a small wink as he left the diner and headed for school.

Emma turned to him in the both, her hand was resting comfortably on his leg. “What are you going to do today?”

He knew, he had decided last night after she had gone to sleep exactly what he was going to do, but he wasn’t going to tell her. “I have a few… things… errands to do.” He said unsure of the wording.

She looked as if she doubted him slightly but she did not question him. “Okay. I’ll see you later tonight.” She said with a smile, kissing him before she left.

He was aware of the wolf, he shook his head at that at _Ruby_ watching the two of them. If he was going to live in this town and expect to be called anything other than Captain Hook he better get used to calling it’s citizens by their preferred names, even if it was only in his head when he called them those names. She gave him a knowing look and he wondered how much she really knew, but he was thankful enough for her tact.

He waited for a good ten minutes after Emma had left before he did so as well, running through in his head the imaginary conversation which he had been having for weeks now. He stood up, knowing that it was now or never and stepped out into the town, walking purposefully towards his destination. The people of the town didn’t wave as much as him as they did with Emma. Maybe it was because she was the sheriff. Perhaps they felt somewhat compelled to be on her good side, but he knew it was likely because of his past. He had shed the long coat he had worn for three hundred years for a shorter and more modern leather one. He had gotten rid of the seaworthy boots and the rest of the attire he had worn when he had been the captain of something. But something’s still remained, the darkly lined eyes, the scruffy face, the hook itself. They were things that he did see changing, they were part of him part of who he was and Emma didn’t mind.

He was mumbling to himself, running through the words afraid as if they would all slip out of his mouth the moment the door opened. His heart was pounding in his chest as he knocked out the door, a rapid reminder that he was alive. He had felt more alive in the past five days then he had in nearly all his lifetime.

“Hh-Killian, I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.” He didn’t feel the need to bolt as he looked up into David’s young face. Suddenly realizing that he was far older than this man.

“Can I come in?” He said.

“Of course.” He stepped aside and Killian had to congratulate himself on making it this far. “Have a seat.”

He settled into the same chair at the table which he had sat in the night before. Somehow David did not look as terrifying as he had before but his hand was still shaking underneath the table.

“I want you to know that I have been meaning to have this conversation with for you a while now, a few weeks in fact.” There was small squeal and crash of excitement as he saw Mary Margaret come down the stairs. He had forgotten that she would likely he here as well.

“Sir your daughter means more to me than… well I gave up the freedom I had for the past three hundred years just to find her again… I love Emma and.” He paused feeling as if he was butchering everything he had meant to say, but he looked up to see the couple biting their lips to keep from smiling. “I would very much like your permission to ask for your daughters hand in marriage.”

He closed his eyes expecting the worst, only to find that his body was being tightly squeeze while they were both making giddy sounds.

“Is that a yes?” He said his voice cracking.

“Of course.” David said clapping him on the back. He and his wife both sat back down again, smiling at him proudly. “You didn’t have to ask me for my permission.”

He breathed a sigh of relief that it was all over. “I wouldn’t have been comfortable asking her if I didn’t have it.”

Mary Margaret was wiping away happy tears. “When are you going to ask her?”

“I…I don’t know.” He stammered. When the moment was right, when their future was a little clearer. She wasn’t expecting it from him, something which he was grateful for. “A lot of details are up in the air right now, I just know that I want to spend the rest of this life with her.”

Emma’s parents were both crying now. “Mary Margaret give him your ring.” David choked.

His wife hit him playfully. “Don’t be silly David they want to make their own traditions.” Her large smile was comforting but also somewhat scary. “I know that she will agree when the time is right.”

He nodded, he had already known that as well. He stood up suddenly feeling lighter as he let them continue on with their day only wishing that they would both be able to keep their mouths shut until he did find the moment to ask her. He left and went back into town knowing that he had many more hours to kill before his next task, he had never felt more drunk on love in his life.

**

There was a knowing smile across Henry’s face as he walked away from the school and saw who was waiting for him. For a moment Killian almost didn’t know what to call him. Emma was always referring to him as kid, but that couldn’t last for much longer. He had already begun to spring up in the time that he had been in town. “Hi Henry.” He said using the boy’s name instead.

“Hi.” Henry replied, he almost never referred to him by any sort of name.

Killian nodded as he fell into step with the boy. “Why don’t we go for a walk? Unless there is somewhere you have to be?” The idea never occurred to him that it might be strange for him to be alone with Emma’s son.

Henry shook his head indicating that it was fine. “Can we go down by shore?”

He sighed with relief as the suggestion of a familiar setting. They walked talking comfortably about his school, it was mostly stuff he had heard before but Henry repeated it willingly. The ocean in sight they sat down on a bench overlooking a small grassy park which appeared to be know.

“Mom and I would come here when she first came to town.” Henry said as he looked at it, he was referring to Emma. “There used to be a playground. It’s where I kept the book of fairytales, back when I couldn’t really trust my Mom.” Regina he was talking about her now. It was somewhat strange to keep up with him when he used the same word to describe two different people but Killian managed.

“You’ve certainly gone through a lot in your short life.” He said.

The gulls crowed in the background. “Everyone here has.” Henry shrugged. He paused and turned to look at Killian a strange expression on his young face. “You’re going to ask her to marry you aren’t you?”

He chuckled he was just like Emma sometimes, “Nothing gets past you doesn’t it?” Killian muttered. “Is that alright with you Henry, if I marry Emma one day?”

He nodded with more enthusiasm that he was expecting. “Yeah it is… It’s really, really okay. You make her happy.” Killian was grateful that the boy had a small filter on his opinions. “Like how Robin made Regina happy, but so much more…. When I found my real Dad Neal was alive, I thought that when he and Emma met again that they would fit right back together like puzzle pieces. But they didn’t and that’s okay…but you and her….”

Henry didn’t know how to put it into words but he was right. There was something about him and Emma that clicked. A common factor in their pasts which drew them together, just enough honor and rule braking to make them work together even before the events of this week. He had been thinking about if for a long time, and he was glad that he was not the only one to see it.

“When are you going to ask her?”

“I don’t know Henry, when the time is right I guess.”

“That sounds like a good idea since things are complicated right now.” He said with a wisdom beyond his years. “I wish that both my moms were happy, but I’ll take one for now.”

He was charmed. “Thanks.”

Henry replied with a bob of his head. “Can I call you Dad?”

He felt suddenly as if he was back at sea and a wave have crept up on the boat rocking it violently. His hand flew to his face trying to cover the small wave of shock which had come over him. “Did you ever call Neal that, in the time you knew him?” It was a stupid question, of course he had called him that, he had heard with his own ears.

“Yeah but…” Henry paused trying to put together the right words. “You’re the one who is going to be there for me from now on. If mom hadn’t told Robin he had to leave I know would have called him that one day. I want to call you Dad?”

He wrapped his good arm around Henry trying his best not to cry. “After I ask your mom... then you can call me Dad.” He said his voice breaking as he sharply exhaled.

Henry turned his head to look up at him with a small smile. “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow.  
> Thank you all for the comments and kudos. I am blown away by how many people enjoy this story.  
> I'm almost done writing the whole thing, so the daily updates will continue.  
> E.F.


	6. Day Six: Moods

Henry would be here in less than an hour Emma tried to remind herself as she looked at the clock once more. Regina was dropping him off at four. She felt as if there was something to be done something that she had to do. She sat on the couch feeling only in the mood to be sick and tired not willing to entertain her son for the next two and a half days. She looked down the hallway the two empty rooms seemed to taunt her. There was actually more than two empty rooms in the house, it had been a four bedroom house but one had been set aside for an office at least that was what she told herself to keep her mind from racing. Henry would be here in fifty three minutes and he would claim one of the rooms for himself, but she wouldn’t be any more at ease.

She had woken to find that her body had finally decided to physically change on her, it was inevitable but it felt too soon. She wished that the thing inside of her would at least wait until they knew what it was before it would have the audacity to make none of her pants fit anymore. On Sunday she would know if that extra room was really needed. But as much as she wished Sunday would come and go she also wished that it never came.

Lady barked gently beside her. “Yeah I know.” She said mentally cursing herself that she had now brought herself to talk to a dog. She hadn’t gone into work at all that day, she had only left the house for her pre-dawn appointment at the hospital. Killian was there somewhere within the house but he was letting her have her space as she sat in front of the television and watched one movie right after another. “Don’t worry.” She muttered running her hand through the dogs fur. “We’re not going to put you outside.” She added. She had Lady were watching her namesake on the screen before them as the dog on the screen howled as it tried to break against its chain. She had cried when they had gotten the puppy in the movie, she had cried silently suddenly feeling a deep longing which an animated movie had never made her feel before.

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the dog’s warm breath as if laid upon her aching breasts. She thought about making it move but they both seemed so comfortable. Emma could have sworn she only closed her eyes for a moment before she was gently being shaken awake.

“Emma love, Henry will be here in five minutes.” She really liked his accent she thought to herself as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Okay,” She said listlessly as she sat up, imagining that she looked as bad as she felt. He helped her up off the sofa. She walked to the kitchen in a daze.

“What are you doing love.” He called after here.

She had squatted down and was going through the cabinets. “Henry is coming I need to make dinner.”

“No you don’t.” He called after her.

There was a loud bang as the pot in her hands fell into a burner and slid off. She jumped, shaken like a bird as she leaned against the counter breathing rapidly. “He doesn’t have to come this weekend.”

“No he does.” She wined her voice high pitched as her hands fluttered in front of her face. “He asked and he should and…” Killian pulled her into a tight embrace, massaging her back with his hand as she cried not really knowing why she was.

“We’ll go into town and get dinner and bring it back, just him and I.” He whispered into her ear. “It’s going to be alright Emma.” He muttered as she slowly calmed down. The doorbell rang above and she took a deep breath as she stepped away from him.

Together they went upstairs to answer the door, Killian still giving her small sideways glances to see if she was really ready for this. When the door opened the half of a smirk on Regina’s face fell into full concern. “Emma.” She said in a hollow voice looking the woman in front of her who was wearing pajama bottoms and a stained sweatshirt in front of her.

“Hey Henry come with me I’ll show you your room.” Killian said loudly and they went down the hallway to the empty upstairs bedroom.

Regina waited until she heard the door close before she took a hold of Emma’s hand. “Swan you look… and I apologize for saying this… but you look terrible.”

“I know.” Emma snapped defensively as she sat down on a chair. Her hands flew to her face in embarrassment. “I’m sorry Regina it’s just…”

Regina’s hand fell on her knee in an act of comfort which was incredibly genuine. “I can’t even imagine what this is like.”

Emma laughed and empty laugh. “From what I remember this is not the fun part and to have it all compacted into a few days.”

“Henry can stay with me, if you’re not feeling up to it.” It wasn’t meant to be any sort of an insult to her abilities and she found that comforting.

“Let’s just view this whole thing as a really good form of birth control.”

They both laughed genuinely. “Henry brought some stuff over for his new room, I’m going to get it from the car.”

“I’ll be here.” Emma said as they both stood up slowly she watched Regina gracefully return to the front lawn as she shuffled down the hallway. Her hand rested on the doorknob but she kept it from opening when she heard their voices clearly.

“Look Henry.” Killian was saying in a low voice and she could imagine him bending down in front of him when he spoke. “I don’t know if you understand what is happening to your mom physically and I won’t be explaining it until you are much older. But she is not feeling so great today and her only friend at the moment seems to be Lady. So-” There was a short pause and when he spoke again his voice was a whisper. “Future Dad promise, just be nice to her this weekend.”

Her vision began to blur as she heard Henry reply back. “Yes Dad.”

She walked away quickly not wanting to let her audible blubbering to disturb them from what was happening in the room. She didn’t even know how to feel other than to simply be feeling everything at the moment. When they had such a discussion about the use of such a word, when the two of them had bonded she did not know. Regina walked back into the house to see her crying her hands waving in front of her face as if it was a form of sign language she was supposed to understand.

“Emma.”

“Hormones, okay hormones.” She said knowing it wasn’t partially all their fault. Henry had called him Dad, Killian had said he would explain something later.  Two months ago her biggest problem had been the Ice Queen and now that all seemed so trivial.

Regina stayed for another hour and Emma did finally calm down enough to help them all with Henry’s room which was beginning to take form into something which was very different from what he had at Regina’s place.

The evening ended with delivered pizza being eaten on the couch while the three of them and Lady watching Pirates of the Caribbean at Henrys request. “One day kid, we _will_ go to Disneyland.” Emma muttered as the movie began.

Killian watched in utter fascination providing a most compelling commentary. “Her name is Swan!” He called out in the beginning many a “Not how it was done in my day.” And then finally after one long pause. “Did I look like that when you met me?”

Emma looked from the captain on screen to the one next to her. “Well there were no dreadlocks or scarves, and your coat was black and obviously the hook but… yeah there is a resemblance.”

“Uhh.” He said softly. “I never realized that was what I actually looked like. Do I walk around that drunkenly?”

She smiled. “Only when you are drunk.”

“Emma. Henry.” He scalded her as if such as thing was prosperous, but it wasn’t as if he had ever seen him drunk or had never been drunk with him.

“Hey my other mom was the evil queen, I’ve seen a lot.”

It was late by the time that Emma sent Henry off to bed, half missing the days when he would ask her to read him a story. It was a reminder that he was older, nearly a teenager. _A teenager and a toddler_. The thought crossed her mind for a brief moment, but she shook it away. She wasn’t going to allow herself to think such things untill roughly eight o’clock Sunday morning.

She fell to sleep easily only rested on the exchange she had heard earlier. His arm was wrapped around her as she heard his voice whisper in her head again and again until she fell to sleep, “ _future dad.”_


	7. Day Seven: Let's Go Fly A Kite

There was a knock on the door. “I’m coming in so if there is anything potentially scaring happening I would like that to end.” A soft voice called out.

Henry, Emma realized as she opened her eyes and watched the light crack through the opening door. She looked at the sleeping man next to her and gently nudged him awake. They both sat up in bed as Henry came in with a tray and a smile. “What are you doing this for?” She asked to flatter him. She knew why she had overheard the conversation of the night before.

“Just because.” He added in a squeaky voice as she nodded slightly at Killian she pretended not to notice. He placed the tray next to the bed, and then sat at the foot of it, watching them both. Emma took a mug in her hands, the edges of the whipped cream were beginning to melt into the hot chocolate she took a velvety sip and was grateful of the son she had. “I already took Lady for a walk and fed her.”

Emma smiled as the color flushed back into her cheeks. She looked at the cereal he had prepared not at all feeling capable of eating it, but she was enjoying the gesture. He didn’t seem to notice though as he sat on the bed, talking about school about his friends and who had said what. It was a small enough town that Emma knew everyone to see his view on it was fascinating. There weren’t many children his age, enough to occupy the school but hearing his tales of his teachers was interesting

Time past by slowly as Henry somehow shifted over time from sitting at the foot of the bed to nestled in between them both as they listened to far more fascinating tales of Pirates and bail runners. “Don’t you have to go?” He said as he looked at his mother, and she smiled at him slightly she did have to go. But she didn’t want to.

Her appointment was uneventful, foreshadowed by far by the more conclusive one which awaited her tomorrow. Suddenly Emma wished that she could sleep until then, that today could just slip her by. But it didn’t, they drove home. She still didn’t want to spend time with any more people than she needed to today, only the appearance of something major would have been enough to make her leave the house.

By the midafternoon she was sitting at the old oak table picking at a sandwich, her focus on Killian who was looking out across the water. Something caught in her head that made her smile a familiar tune which she had heard before.

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me. We pillage, we plunder, we…._ She couldn’t remember the rest. He had done the same thing for so many years…. “Do you miss it?” She said loudly and he turned to look at her “Being a pirate, having your own ship, do you miss it?”

He took a deep breath of contemplation. “Some days I do. I miss the unpredictability of a storm, the blessing of a calm sea and the faith you can put in a few pieces of well strung cloth.” He blinked lyrically “But I don’t miss the treasure, or the fighting or many of the smells.”

“You can always sail in the waters here.”

He nodded. “Yes, but for now most horizons are unreachable.” He reached out across the old table that had been hers. She wished that she had something in the house that was old and hers. Her baby blanket, but that wasn’t something to be used every day, the car but she had kept that more for its function than any sentimental reason. She looked at the table and wondered what stories it could tell of the places that it had once been too, this table had seen so much and it wore them all in visible scars it made her feel as unworldly as a new spring blossom. “This is a welcomed change of pace.” He said as he rested his hand on hers. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

The wind was howling outside of them, a winter storm approaching that would likely bring snow in the next coming days. Emma looked at the water below which was crested with soft grey breaking waves. The unpredictability of a storm. She would have bet nearly anything that he would have loved to sail out in this weather. She wondered silently if there was anything else you could do on such a blustery day. She had never been much of the one for outdoor activities, but she ran through them all in her head.

“Let’s go fly a kite.” Emma whispered as she looked at the wind.

Even Henry reading a book on the couch turned and looked at her “A what now?” He asked.

“A kite. You do that when it is windy don’t you?” Emma said looking between both of them.

“Have you ever flown a kite in your life?”

She shook her head “How hard can it be?”

Very hard as she was to learn half an hour later after they managed to procure some kites and stood on a small park overlooking the sea. They ran back and forth sending up the colorful kites into the air trying to have them catch along the wind, they would manage to catch a gust but then lose control.

“Mom can’t you magic it or something?” Henry asked over the roaring wind which was chilling them all to the bone.

She shook her head unsure. “Oh come on sailor.” She yelled at Killian. “You know all about wind, surely you should be able to do this.”

But he didn’t fare much better than any of them in the end. They gave up after an hour of detangling kite strings and resigned to sit inside by a warm fire for the rest of the evening.

Emma looked at her little family and smiled. Regardless of what happened tomorrow, there was nowhere else she would rather be as well.


	8. Day Eight: We're Having A...

Nobody talked. There were plenty of kisses, hand holding and hugs; but nobody talked to one another from the moment they woke from the moment they walked through the doors of the hospital. Henry gave them each one last final tight hug before the entered the exam room and he settled down with his book in the empty waiting room beyond.

She could feel her heart pounding the adrenaline flowing through her veins as if took four tries to calm her down enough to take an accurate blood pressure reading. They didn’t talk as the doctor wheeled in the machine. She had seen it once before, they had insisted telling her then it was a boy the very boy who was now sitting outside. She had only glanced at the screen for a moment back then, now she couldn’t take her eyes away from it.

Killian’s hand was clutching onto hers as they looked at the greyscale image before them, waiting until something was finally said. “There is the heartbeat of your human baby.”

Hot tears were falling down her face dripping into her ears as she looked at the image on the screen. Relief had finally washed over her for the first time in a week. She turned to look at him reaching out and grabbing her face with both of her hands and pulling it in to her sharply as she kissed him, hanging onto his bottom lip as they felt one another’s tears.

“We’re having a baby. Our baby.” She whispered as she saw the light in his eyes.

“We’ll actually we can wait a few days and do a paternity test from the-” Dr. Whale butted in.

“Shut up it’s ours.” Killian briskly remarked.

They sat waiting turning their attention from one another to the screen while Dr. Whale took down notes. They could barely contain themselves when he gave them a printout of the image.

All Henry had to do was see their smiles to know that he was going to be a big brother. He hugged them both tightly and none of them talked again untill the doors of the car shut.

Then they all but out into joyous peals of laughter.

“Oh my….” Emma began but she couldn’t contain herself as she let her head drop against the steering wheel. She felt as if she was flying, that is anyone was going to see her now they would know immediately what her secret was.

“We should go wake up grandma and grandpa.” Henry said,

_We should wake up the whole town_ , Emma though to herself. She turned to look at Killian he was laughing looking down at his hands. “I need a hand.” He muttered to himself.

“What?”

“I need my hand back, my left hand. I can’t change a diaper or take care of baby with one hand and a hook. Emma I need a hand.” He turned to look at her in all seriousness and she was touched. “The crocodile has my hand at his shop, we can it from Belle and you and Regina can attach it back.”

All she could do was snicker “And what if that doesn’t work?”

“Gepetto.” Henry called out from the back seat, “He can make a hand.”

Emma and Killian’s eyes both widened. “If he and those fairies can make a real boy they can damn sure make a real hand.” Emma shouted out loudly and they only laughed even more. “We’re having a baby.” She whispered at him once again.

“We’re having a baby.” He echoed.

They hugged once more and kissed before she turned on the car and they drove away to gleefully bang on her parents door. They had woken them up, but they smiled and made a large amount of noise as they knew wordlessly what Emma was going to tell them. Suddenly everything felt right, suddenly it was as if the world was in color and nothing could go wrong. Emma felt so strange and so happy her body shaking from all the joy as they all pulled together. Henry, Killian, David, Mary Margaret, even little Neil wrapped around her in one huge Charming Family hug.

This was her family now. Suddenly she had one of her own, one which she recognized, and one which was just as unusual as she was but it was still there. Suddenly there was a future which she could see clearly and even though she had been a resident of Storybrooke for years that had never happen before. She had always felt some baseline desire to leave and go back to her old life, now she had the confirmation that this truly was the place in which she belonged. It didn’t matter what evil villain was coming back into town next, by the time they got here she would have her own family, part of her own happy ending.

She wanted nothing else than to climbed to the highest point and shout out her own happiness, though she knew that was not possible. They still had time left to wait, they still had maybe two more days in which this could be their little family secret. The day passed by in a out of references to the future with Henry suddenly talking about his brother or sister and she was relieved that it didn’t scare her any more. In about twenty five days she would be meeting her second child, and she couldn’t wait.

They had finished dinner, and Emma was helping him with the last remnants with his math homework when he closed the book with a look of finality.

“Are you giving up?” Emma teased as she took the book from him and opened it once again to the page where they had been on.

He shook his head. “No I just want to go and stretch my legs.”

She tutted at his wording, when her son had decided to become an old man she did not know. “And where would you do that?”

He stood up. “Let’s walk down to the dock.”

He meant the one bellow the house and while she knew he was up to something she followed him downstairs without any question. She grabbed her jacket, pulling it around herself since she didn’t want the conformation that it wouldn’t zip up any more. Outside it was dark with the exception of the little lights along the path down the water. Why there wasn’t a boat down their tied up already Emma did not know. She would have to mention to him that it would be okay if he did get another boat. A pirate ship wouldn’t fit at the small dock bellow, but a sail boat certainly would.

They stepped outside into the bitter air. Winter nearly had its grips on Maine and any day now she would wake to find the world covered in frost. She looked at Henry with suspicion as he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted out the word. “Now.”

Lights erupted along the outline of the dock, and she could see that someone was standing at the end of it waiting for her. Contentment fell over her as she felt Henry give her a small push. “Oh no you’re coming with me.” Emma said as she took his hand and began to walk down the long winding path to the water.

She was smiling, trying her best not to cry. Today was definitely going down as one of the best days in her life. Everything was different this time, maybe because it was meant to be. She had finally found someone who has going to stay by her side, who was never going to abandon her. The former pirate had already sworn his loyalty, had already said enough things that had brought her to tears in the past week that she knew she would have no qualms about spending the rest of her life with him.

She looked back at Henry as he left her at the edge of the dock. When she had been eighteen she had loved Neal because he had been just as wild and free as she was. He had just as many desires to see the world, but he had gone off without her. Even if it wasn’t really his fault, he had left her. Back then when she had sat all alone in a prison cell with an impending child on the way she had wondered what would have happened it Neal had been there. She thought he would have run away anyways. Her suspicions had been confirmed when she met him again in New York. He had only ever stayed because of Henry he had only been bound to her because of that. When they saw each other again thirteen years later there was been only half the spark there had been in Portland.

But Killian was different, he had been sworn to her side for years. He had done nearly anything for her, he had given her space and her boundaries when she needed it and she had known when she did not. He had broken though his heart being controlled, because even without his soul he still loved her enough to care for her safety. They clicked she knew that as she walked slowly out on the wooden dock, there was no point in delaying the inevitable any more.

He had been watching her the whole time, shaking out of nerves rather than cold as she approached. He had never felt this way before the delirium of looking at someone and seeing not only the present but also the future. He knew what she was going to say, he knew it didn’t have to be this grand romantic gesture. He had done that four days ago when he had tossed his hook into her lap.

_“You better get to work.”_ He hadn’t been joking either. If she wanted her name carved onto his appendage he would do it. Even if he did manage to get a real hand of his own now he would still do it. She owned his heart, she had for a very long time. It was something they both knew.

Emma was beaming as she approached, the lights danced off the water and he could see their reflection in its smooth surface as he knelt down. He remembered when this tradition had started, Knights had bent down on one knee to swear their fealty, now he was swearing himself to her. For a moment there was a small panic as he realized how many thing had needed to happen in order for them to get here.

He wondered for a moment the strange other possibilities his life could have taken and that her life could have taken. Not more than a year ago they had been back in the Enchanted Forest trying to rewrite her parents meeting. He had done it with fervent haste because he knew without no Snow White and Prince Charming there would be no Emma. But part of them wondered if they had stayed in that world, if there had never been a curse how then he would have met her. But those thoughts ran away as she clutched onto his hand as he took a breath.

“I can’t wait any longer to ask you this Emma.” He whispered and he pulled off one of the many rings on his right hand. He had bought it in some oriental realm once, knowing nothing else about it other than the urge he felt to purchase that particular ring. It was made of beaten silver and it barely even glimmered it was so we’ll worn with age, but that didn’t matter, none of the formalities mattered in their relationship. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.” She replied, she would have done it right now it there had been a priest waiting in the bushes. He slipped the ring on her finger and stood up kissing her hard and quickly in elation. “You didn’t have to be so romantic about it.” She whispered in his ear as they pulled apart.

“Henry insisted.” He muttered and for the first time both of them touched her stomach lightly as he placed her hand on it. “Plus it will make for a good story one day, and that’s what you deserve Swan.”

She pecked him on the cheek before she turned out to look at the dark sea beyond. She closed her eyes and peaked up to the tip of her toes. “I’M GOING TO MARRY KILLIAN JONES.” She yelled into the great beyond with a fit of giggles. She felt like a child again like the child she had never got to be. She was so incredibly love struck by the notion of a man who could both sweep her off her feet and also care for her in the gentlest of ways.

“AND I’M MARRYING EMMA SWAN.” He yelled out into the night with her. They kissed once more as he picked her up off of her feet. Part of him never wanted the moment to end, but he did, oh he never much wanted the future to happen. They looked back at Henry who was smiling as he witnessed the event. Arm and arm they walked back to one another towards him and their house. “Off to bed, you have school tomorrow.” Killian said in the voice he had once used as a captain as he ruffled the boys hair.

“Yes Dad.” Was all that Henry replied.


	9. Day Nine: Honest Conversation

She couldn’t stop touching the ring on her left hand. It caught her eye as she drove Henry to school as it made gentle noises against things she never knew made noise before. Every time she looked at it her heart soared a little, though some of that was still likely from the occasional nausea. Henry bounced into school and Emma pulled away determined to get an honest conversation out of one particular person today.

She looked at the ring as she stopped in front of Regina’s house and considered taking it off for a moment. It was part of her, part of who she was and she didn’t want to hide that. She left it on, rubbing her thumb against it as she rang the doorbell and waited.

“Emma.” Regina called out with surprise. “Is everything alright with Henry?”

“Yes it is, I just took him to school. Do you have a moment to talk?”

Regina stepped inside and she looked up at the house she had once been so terrified of. When this was all over, she made a mental note, she need to find a way to break down the barrier over the town line. She owed it to Regina at least to give her the opportunity to seek out her own happiness as well.

She looked her up and down, at from the loose dress she was wearing to the funny little expression of her face. “Everything is working out in your favor isn’t it?” She said her voice different. “Like always.” She muttered under her breath.

Both women sat down, and Regina looked at her almost with contempt. “I want to thank you.” Emma said lightly.

“For what?” Regina barked “Accidentally nocking you up with the pirates kid.”

Emma understood where her anger was coming from, she just wished that perhaps even inside the walls of her own house Regina could begin to open up to her. “In a way I really could thank you for cursing my parents all those years ago, or for raising my son, or for helping save my life and the live of the people that I care about.” She paused hoping that allowing the words to sink in would let Regina know how serious she really was about all of this. “You mean a lot to me Regina. As a friend, as someone who will be a part of my life for the rest of my life, as someone I can trust. We’ve had our differences and we have moved past them, and I am grateful for that.”

Regina sat with her lips pursed together, her back perfectly straight. Even now she still had the presence of a queen as she looked down on Emma. “Thank you.” She replied her mouth barely moving as the words left her.

“And I want you to know that just because I am closer to having my happy ending doesn’t mean that I would help you find yours. We can find the author, and can find a way to break down the barrier. We will.” She added with finality.

“I don’t need any of your-“

“It’s not charity Regina this is me helping you.” Emma said as she saw relief flash upon her face for a brief moment.

“What makes you think you can be successful?”

Emma looked at her. All these years of her heart black as stone, of seeing no hope in the world, it was going to take something monumental to make her believe once more. “You keep saying you want a happy ending,” Emma began unsure of what she could say to make Regina place faith in her. “But an ending it implies that the story… that your life is over. You don’t want a happy ending, you want a happy existance.”

Regina stifled as she tossed back her hair with a head flip. “I’m not here to argue syntax Swan.”

She rolled her eyes, feeling as if she was talking to a brick wall. “Regina.” She snapped harder than she really should have. “If you want your life to be what you want it to be, you need to fight for it. Not using evil or dark magic but by trusting that…” She paused unsure of how to put the word. “You want Robin back, I know you do even if you don’t admit it, even Henry knows. If you want him to come back to you have to believe that if you find a way he will, he was meant to be yours Regina you both know that.”

Regina shook her head slightly. She had torn up that picture, that page from the story of her life that she had altered. A part of her had felt the tinge of power that once flowed through her veins when she had done it. The same power that came from hatred. But then she had been told all her life that the strongest magic was love, she was looking at a woman across from her who was proof of that. “He choose me, in a heartbeat he choose me and I told him to go. What does that say about my future?”

In all the conversations they had since he was gone Regina had never mentioned this fact. Emma reached out, her hand resting on top of hers. “That you made a very stubborn and brave decision and that perhaps it the future you will be rewarded for it. At least that is what I would tell myself.”

Regina said nothing as she looked at Emma’s hands, the worn silver ring on her left hand catching the light she had seen it before on the pirate, she understood it’s meaning without having to ask. “How come you don’t need true love?” She inquired inquisitively.

Emma had wondered that herself. Perhaps she had never been placed in the right moment or the right time. “I never been much for rules.” She replied lightly in diversion as she pulled away from Regina and sank into the sofa.

Regina head tilted, no she had never been a follower of rules. She had always made her own path but since coming to Storybrooke each woman could see the changes in character which had occurred in the other. Emma was becoming a follower and enforcer of rules and now here she was adhering to society’s rules, even though it was with her own twist.

“After everything that has happen I would have pegged him for running away. I would have placed money on you running away as well.” Emma said nothing, perhaps they were running in the same direction now. Running hand and hand towards the horizon which had eluded them for so long.

“Doesn’t it give you a little bit of hope, seeing what his life has become?”

“Not that I want to emulate it but… yes it does Emma. It gives me hope. This whole situation gives me hope.”

“And how is that?”

Regina was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke she wasn’t exactly confident in her choice of words. “I looked over the spell and what I knew of it. It shouldn’t have worked on you Emma. I can only thing of two possible explanations that perhaps you were already…” Emma shook her head. They had been careful, and besides it was the wrong time she had only finished her cycle two days before. “Then had you had sex recently?”

They had, earlier in the day before she had headed out. She nodded her head “Yeah we had.”

“Then all the elements were there all the spell did was add them together and turn up the gas.” Emma could feel warm tears running down her cheeks. It had been a full week worth of crying, she was ready for that aspect to be over. “Swan why are you crying?” Regina muttered unsure of what to do.

She had never wanted Henry. She was ashamed to admit it to herself but it was the truth. She had been an eighteen year old in prison, impregnated by the man who had set her up to take the fall for his crime. Even after Henry met him years later she still wondered whether Neil was ready to be a father. She had never wanted her eldest child, but this one was different. For the first time there were people by her side, she felt old enough she felt ready, she felt loved.

“When you adopted Henry, did you love him?”

Regina shook her head. “Not at first. I wanted to, I named him after my father because I wanted to but I didn’t. Not until someone else almost got him, and then I never wanted to let him go, then I realized how much I really did love him.”

Emma nodded. “Henry….”

“You didn’t feel that way.” Regina said finishing the tough for her without judgment.

“But I do now. But for the past week, I have been trying so hard not to let myself fall in love with something that would result in nothing. But I didn’t bring myself to love this baby as much as Killian did from the moment he heard about it. ‘Is it ours?’ That was the first thing he said. _Ours_ , Regina I have never had child inside of me that was a part of an ours. I don’t want to let it go.”

She nodded a small understanding. “Then don’t” She said with a child. “Have your happiness Swan, prove to me that it is possible and I will do anything you ask to go and get him back.”

“I’m going to hold you to that promise.” Emma said as she stood, knowing that her presence at the Sheriff’s station would be missed soon.

Regina looked at her with agreement, but Emma could tell that there was something that she wanted to say. “You know.” She said hesitating and Emma turned to look at her chewing on words. “There used to be a legend to scare children I think, that the price of immortality was to lose the chance of ever knowing who your true love was.”

“What does that…?” Emma began but Regina mustered up the courage cut her off.

“If you think about it it’s rather sadistic that a person who lives forever could only ever love one other person. They would see them live and die but then they would still have to go with their long life. He was immortal in a way Emma, for a period of time. Maybe you don’t have a one true love, because yours technically can’t”

Emma nodded, she didn’t know what else to say other than thank you.

**

Nine days had come to a close and while Emma knew there were still many more to come she felt as if suddenly she was nearing the downhill part of the journey. She looked in the mirror before going to bed, there was something there now a definite nudge of the shape of things to come. Soon the whole town would know, soon everyone would know and today she felt as if she was almost tiered of waiting for that day to come.

But she was also afraid of their judgment, worried about what they might say how they could possibly judge her. Was she was supposed to still love Neal in their eyes? He was dead and she had moved on with her life in spectacular fashion. She looked across the bedroom at the man who was to be her husband. _Yo ho, yo ho, the pirates wife I’ll be._ A small voice sang in her head. She remembered when she had just meet him, how he had frustrated her to no end how he had been charming and slick and she was conflicted. She had kissed him on Neverland, and it had meant something to him at least. He had loved her long before she had admitted her love for him and he was the one who had stood by her side no matter the cost.

Regina’s words slipped through her brain. She had never, in all her time in Storybrooke wondered about her own true love. It was something that didn’t frighten her nor concern her. But now she was committed to taking a leap with him, if that wasn’t true love then she didn’t know what it was. He had kissed her in New York hoping that would break the spell. Maybe it didn’t work because she didn’t know that she loved him back then.

“Have you ever heard of the idea that immortal people can’t have true loves?”

He looked at her with a raised brow “Belle and Rumpelstiltskin.” He said with a small grunt.

Emma rolled her eyes, she had through of that obvious exception. “Yes but he is only immortal because of his powers. If he gave up magic he would be human again.”

“Sure I guess.” He said as he got into bed “But I was never really immortal Emma.”

“Yes but all that time in Neverland, never aging, it’s like being immortal.”

“Why are you asking?”

She sat down next to him, her face askew. “Regina mentioned it to me today. That maybe I didn’t have a true love because you couldn’t have one.”

He leaned his head back. She looked at him. There had been walls and barriers the first time they had known one another, but years had torn them down. He was different now, sometimes in the largest of ways, sometimes in the smallest but he was still himself. He cared now about more than just himself. “Does it really matter?” He said softly. “Both of us have loved and loss before. And I know that for me, this is nothing like what I had in the past, this is so much better.”

She couldn’t help but agree. “I think you are right.” She muttered “It was fun and games before, it was being wild with someone else. But with you and I; it can be a wild adventure at times, but somehow the serious stuff isn’t as terrifying when you’re with me.”

“Aye.” He replied gently as he kissed her forehead gently and they settled together into the bed and fell to sleep.


	10. Day Ten: A Whole Man

“You were serious about that?” Emma began as the pulled away from the hospital once more. He had mentioned the hand again, she had thought it to be a joke made in the moment out of exhilaration.

“Of course I was serious.” He said with a small nod of his head. The man had gone on for three hundred years without a left hand, he had captained a ship and pillage villages, but the moment he realized he really was going to be a father was the moment he need a hand. “Didn’t you talk with Regina about that yesterday?”

“No I didn’t because I didn’t think you actually meant it.” She snapped at him.

“Emma.” He scalded her.

She braked the car hard at a stop sign and turned to look at him. “We are not getting into a fight about this.” She hissed at him. She took a deep breath, he could be a father without a real hand, and it was not like it had never been done before. “We’ll go talk to her now see if can be done and then collect your hand.”

Regina had laughed for a brief moment before she realized they were serious. “I can certainly attach a hand back as long as it is not rotted or anything. Why do you need it?”

He rolled his eyes at her “Why is it so farfetched that a man would like to be able to hold his child with both hands.” He said in frustration.

Regina smiled pleasantly, asking that they arrange to meet her at her crypt when they had acquired what they needed, but as they left she grabbed Emma’s arm and whispered into her ear. “It may just be the loneliness and desperation talking, but I am tempted to steal your man right now.”

Emma laughed at the joke as she followed Killian out to the car where he was nearly bouncing up and down begging to be taken to see Belle. “You need a job to occupy your time.” Emma said as she pulled away and back into town.

The shop was empty inside of any customers as it always seemed to be. Belle came running as the door opened and they walked in together they did their best to try and seem inconspicuous but she still looked at them with knowing glances and quickly saw the ring on Emma’s hand.

“Can I help you… both?” She said bouncing up and down on her toes. She had not hidden herself from the view of the town since she had cast Rumpelstiltskin out of town, but she had not exactly been her previously bubbly sort either.

“I would like to inquire as to the purchasing of my left hand.”

Belle’s brow furrowed as she took a moment to understand what he had said. “You want your hand back? Yeah you can have that no problem with me.” She said and she led them off to a small backroom. Pulled high all over the place where the many treasured things that had been collected by Rumpelstiltskin over the years now all in the charge of Belle. She jumped up and grabbed a small black box and handed it to him. “That should be it.” She said.

He opened and closed the box sharply. “Thank you.” He said with deep admiration.

Belle looked between the two of them half expecting them to announce something to her right there and then. But when neither of them did she added in a small voice. “Sorry I can’t help in attaching it back.”

“Don’t worry.” Emma replied “Regina and I can take care of it.”

They left the shop, Killian clutching onto the hand as if it was his most treasured possession. It meant a lot to him, she could tell but still she hoped there were more valuable things than appendages. “You know last time you had that hand, you acted a bit strange.” Emma muttered as she finished texting Regina that the hand was now in their procession.

“The crocodile played a few mind tricks on me, saying that it was the curse hand of who I had once been. He lied though, and put me through hell because of it. But I’ll be fine this time.”

Regina met them an hour later at the entrance to the crypt. It still felt strange to be down here. But Emma was at least thankful that she kept most of her magical things away from the rest of town as a precaution. The residents of Storybrooke had been through enough as it is.

Emma was removed from the process of hand attachment she watched from the sidelines as Regina soaked rags in various liquids and then carefully wrapped them around his stump. Finally words were muttered as his whole left arm glowed a deep blue and just like that, he had a hand.

He wiggled the fingers, he bent it forwards and backwards he used it to swing her around the crypt both of them laughing as Regina watched on. He was a whole man once again in more ways than one. He pulled her in tight both of them dancing to imaginary music as they stared at his hand. “I love you.” He whispered into her ear.

She knew, she knew that more than anything he loved her. “I love you too.” She replied back at the man who had once been Captain Hook.


	11. Day Eleven: Steering

He had been the Capitan of a ship, of a very large pirate ship, he told himself as he stared at the controls of the car. He could learn how to do this, it couldn’t really be all that difficult, yet somehow the combination of his new hand, David, and the engine running seemed to pour only fear through his veins. His foot was resting heavily on the break as he looked around the empty parking lot. Slowly he took it off and the car began roll forward.

“Okay now just turn right at the next lamppost.” David said, his hand clutching at the dashboard out of fear. “And remember that cars can move very fast if you are not careful.” He added somewhat chastising.

“My child will be in this vehicle I will not be exceeding more than fifteen miles an hour.” Killian replied through gritted teeth as the car turned very slowly and widely.

David gave a laugh of relief. “While that is comforting do you occasionally need to drive a little faster?” He replied. He could not help looking at the other man’s new hand. It wasn’t new, David has seen it not too long ago but it seemed so strange to be seeing it now. He really was willing to make every single sacrifice for his daughter and David was grateful for that.

 Sometimes when he was in need of a real laugh, he would try and imagine what it would be like his Emma had been marring him back in the Enchanted Forest. He could imagine all his best advisors running around trying to find more suitable matches for the reigning princess, Snow wouldn’t be talking to him because of this. Emma would act as if she didn’t hear it at all, threatening to run away at every possible occasion. His other children, there were always at least three other children, would complain loudly about how when it came time for them to marry they would prefer a Mongol to a sea pirate. But it was moments like these, when he was teaching a pirate to drive when he remembered those were all part of his fantasies. The life he never got to live, the daughter he never got to raise.

The past few days he had been thinking long and hard about the two men whom he hand known in his daughters life. She had been factual with Neal, cordial, occasionally affectionate but their relationship really had been strained. She had loved him out of duty. David had done that once before and he knew that was not what he wanted for his child. But with the former pirate there were private moments, looks glances, funny expressions which meant something and an incredibly dedicated devotion to one another. He had done nearly everything in his power to find Snow White to stay with her, he had gone to war for her. Maybe that was why he had a hard time looking at Killian and Emma, it was a reflection of what he had.

Still he watched as the other man drove cautiously around the parking lot. Accepting it was the hardest part, knowing that there was someone else who would love and take care of his daughter other than him. He looked at this man who was doing everything as possible in order to keep in his daughters favor. This was the type of many who he had dreamed she would end up, just not yet.

He wasn’t doing to terrible of a job with the car, even though they never left the parking lot that day. David was glad that he never had to learn this skill, it had been something implanted into his memories when he had been sent to Storybrooke. Besides he considered it good practice, one day he was going to have to teach his own son how to drive as well.

Killian was rattled somewhat as he stepped out of the car, both of his hands were shaking. But he had still managed to drive it without crashing them into a light post. Still he was glad to be out of the thing. It was like learning to sail all over again, and he barely even remembered now what that had first been like so many, many years ago. He should stick to ship, he told himself as he walked back into town. If only the ships here were going anywhere. There were plenty along the harbor, but they had nowhere to go. The idea of being a fisherman didn’t appeal to him, but maybe there was something else he could do.

He spent the majority of the day down by the dock, inquiring to the members of what had been his old crew about any jobs they could possibly have for him. They all gave him the same responses that he had expected, that there would be nothing which as enough to satisfy the need for adventure which he sure must have.  But they didn’t know that he wasn’t looking for adventure, he was just looking for something to do.

In the end he left unsatisfied, only his former mate Smee, having mentioned the promising idea to him that their seemed to be a lack of a harbor master in Storybrooke, he could be the leader of them all perhaps. He would mention to Emma, he reminded himself as he began the short trek into town. They had all seen his hand, and yet not a single person had mentioned it to him today. That seemed suspicious, it seemed like something people would mention, that they should mention. But he pushed it out of his mind as he approached the dinner.

Henry was already sitting at the counter a large book in front of him as Killian sat down next to him. “Hi d-Killian.” He stuttered with a smile. He only have to keep up pretenses for a little while longer, tomorrow there would be a town meeting and everything would be aired out into the open.

“DaKillian.” Ruby laughed “I guess he does need a new nickname.” She said with a smile as she looked down at the new hand.

“Thanks for noticing.” He replied.

“It’s what I do.” She replied. “Anything I can get you.”

“No I’m fine.” He replied, turning to Henry and the book which was in front of him. It looked like the book of fairytales which he had seen before, but the cover was different it had nothing on it. “Where did you get that?”

Henry thought for a moment, “I guess I should let you in on operation mongoose. The house that had all those portals, these were in them. A whole library filled with blank story books.”

“And what do you want with those.”

“To find the author and have him write Regina a happy ending.” Henry said as if that was no problem at all.

He saw it differently, they knew nearly everyone in Storybrooke and who they had been in another realm, unless someone was hiding something that was quite a big secret the author was not in this world. “Why does she need someone to write her a happy ending?”

His face fell. “She was villain for a very long time, she thinks that villains don’t get happy endings. Even though that is not true.” Henry looked at him with a knowing glance. “How did you do get it, how did you stop being a villain.”

He wondered if the boy could understand. For a very long while all he had ever cared about was himself and his revenge. It had consumed him the idea that he needed to right Milah’s death, he had hunted down his crocodile for countless years and never succeeded. He had chosen sides in pointless wars and been a pawn only it the situations which would bring him the death of Rumpelstiltskin. But then he had me Emma and suddenly his cold heart had begun to warm. It was only when he accepted that for himself, when he stood aside and let Neal have a chance with her even though he was in it for the long haul that he began to feel the tide turning. Soon he was caring not only about himself, but also about her and the desire for his revenge melted away.

“I let myself fall in love.” He whispered.

Henry nodded noting the expression on the older man face. “Regina did too, but she let him get away.”

She had, she had told him to go away as Emma had correctly told him. She had done the honorable thing, something that Regina the evil Queen would have never done. “Henry.” He paused. “Don’t worry she’ll find him again, just like how I found you and Emma again.”

Henry gave him a weak smile, hoping that he was right.


	12. Day Twelve: Town Meeting

“Hurry up we are going to be late.” Emma said as she quickly walked towards the town hall building. Killian looked at her with a smile, watching as he long curls bounced against her back as she walked. She turned to him, and for the first time in profile she was clearly pregnant, the sight made him swell with affection as he took her hand.

“This isn’t going to become some strange encounter where suddenly everyone is picking sides and pointing out the flaws in our relationship.” He muttered into her ear.

She shook her head at him. Sure their small town meetings could sometimes had the tendency to erupt into very strange situations but still she had some faith in the people of Storybrooke. They stopped on the steps of the hall Emma rising to the balls of her feet as they turned to kiss one another gently.

There was a sharp sigh behind them. “Hurry up you two.” Regina muttered sarcastically.

“Let us have a moment.” Killian said as he looked into Emma’s eyes savoring this last moment before the damn broke.

“I love you.” She whispered as she kissed him one more.

He smiled. “I love you.” He replied right back, his left hand slipping down to her stomach. “I love you too.” He whispered to their unborn child.

She laughed gleefully as they broke apart and walked hand in hand into auditorium. As the last ones there and they stood against the back wall Emma leaned against him as he rocked her gently back and forth listening to the antics happening at the front of the stage. Mary Margaret was standing behind the podium as Will Scarlet and Anton the giant were both standing in front on the floor arguing civilly.

“You have nothing to prove that I was there.” Scarlet was yelling. Emma was trying to remember how he had ever come to town and wishing there was a way she could send him back from where he came from. He was a nuisance and nothing else.

“I know that it was you Scarlet, I saw you running away from the fields.” He was yelling back, and for a moment she remembered the first time she had ever meet the giant who seemed so large but was still so lonely. Even here, down to regular size he was still very much out of place. “I have never liked humans like you.”

“Oh yeah well I never liked brutal giants like you. I wasn’t in your patch on Monday night.” His accent became thicker and harder to understand as he got angrier. “I got drunk and blacked out in the mines.”

“And who can prove that?”

She was tuning out of the conversation, focusing more on Killian as he was whispering gently into her ear his hands interlocked in hers. “Sheriff Swan, she found me on Tuesday morning.”

Every single head in the room turned towards the couple.

They froze as mouths began to fly open with whispers. “This was not how I imagined this happening.” Emma muttered under her breath as she saw the looks of surprise and a few utterances of ‘I told you so’.

She broke away from Killian and began to walk the long aisle towards the podium, he followed in her wake as she began to speak to the crowd. “Yes I did find Will Scarlet last Tuesday morning in the mines.” She began trying to keep her voice steady as the whispers increased in volume, the matter of Scarlet and Anton completely leaving people’s minds. “I received a call from Leroy, fetched Scarlet from the mines, my father saw him as well so he can be a witness that he wasn’t there. You must have seen someone else.”

She paused and looked out at the crowd of all the fairytale characters she had ever know. They sat in silence as the man formerly known as Captain Hook took her hand and stood stalwart by her side. Then from somewhere within the crowd there was a single clap of applause. It grew, slower and slower until suddenly everybody in the room was clapping, she turned to him and they both looked at one another lost.

Mary Margaret was having them both come up one stage as they town got to its feet with applause and the couple did their best not to have tears in their eyes. David had taken the microphone from her and was saying proudly that he wanted to announce his daughter’s engagement to Captain Killian Jones. She noticed smiled in the crowd that of her son and of the friends she had made in the course of living in this town.

“Th-Thank you.” She stammered as she took the microphone stunned by the out pouring of support she was seeing from the whole town. She kept looking between the townspeople and Killian who was grinning from ear to ear, she half expected to wake up from the dream at any moment. “We are engaged and as some of you more sharp eyed may be able to deduce we are also…” She broke into childish giggles. “Expecting our first child in actually about three weeks’ time.” She looked at him, her partner in crime who was smiling at her widely. “When I went into the woods with Regina to contain the spell which had been infected so many of our animals here, I was affected as well. But it’s a good thing, a really good thing. We just… we figured you should know.” She added stepping away from the microphone and falling into his embrace once more as Mary Margaret took over the podium and the town once more fell into their routine.

He helped her down the steps and they took their place once again along the side of the auditorium. As the meeting concluded they were met with a stream of continual congratulations. She was floored with the same sentiments of adoration that they all seemed to give her. She had saved their town, she had saved them time and time again and now she deserved the same happiness which she had allowed them all to have.

She thanked each and every one of them, listen to their kind offers of babysitting and pieces of advice. They arrived home late that night, and she fell quickly to sleep, comforted by the love she had of those surrounding her.


	13. Day Thirteen: Safe for the Night

Emma stood in the doorway of the empty room, it stared back at her taunting with its white walls. You were supposed to paint a nursery that is what she had always watched in TV and movies. A couple would argue about what colors to paint the walls, it would be a source of drama as if an unborn child could not bear to live in a white walled room. Suddenly she felt the need to paint the room, compelled to conform to that standard.

She felt a hand on her back. “What are you thinking?” He whispered into her ear.

“You’re supposed to paint nurseries.” She muttered to herself. “It’s a thing to paint the room pink or blue.”

He laughed “Are those the only options.”

She turned to look at him hitting him playfully in the arm. The room was empty, it had been almost a week since they had learned that the baby was theirs and suddenly she felt as if they were wholly under prepared for what was coming for them. “No of course not.” She muttered brushing past him. But it was something they needed to think of, a conversation which they needed to have at some point, blue or pink a boy or a girl they hadn’t talked about if they had wanted to know beforehand.

She looked at her watch, with the whole town now knowing about her pregnancy the need for secret pre-dawn appointments were no longer needed, so Emma for the first time in almost two weeks headed straight into work rather than the hospital. The town felt different as she drove into it, more charged with life and hope as it’s people waved at her. She had been so afraid that they would have turned against her and called her delusional for her relationship with Killian. He had become a better person, he had changed from the man she had first fallen in love with and that was okay. In fact that was what made Emma have hope in him and their situation. For the first time in a while she was reminded that things could change for the better.

She pulled in front of the station, unlocking its doors and catching a glimpse of herself in the reflection. It made her laugh to see herself pregnant and still carrying on with normal functions. She had never enjoyed it when she had been carrying Henry, every little change in her body had filler her with impending doom. She had known from very early on that she was never going to keep him that it would be impossible. Back then every little change in her body had been a reminder than she was getting closer to a moment she still looked back and felt hurt by. But now, with this child… a single week of pregnancy in one day, she felt it was going to move too quickly. She would look down in the morning and see one version of herself and another in the evening, but part of her could also not wait to meet the son or daughter that she would soon have in her life.

The day passed by slowly, as she sat around the station. With no current resident villain Storybrooke had suddenly become quite boring once again. It was around three ‘o’clock when her phone rang. _Henry._ It told her on the screen. She picked it up right away.

“Mom.” His voice was small.

“What’s wrong?” She said standing up right away and grabbing for her car keys.

“I lost her.”

Emma could feel the panic begin to rise within her. “Who? Henry who did you lose.”

“Lady. I was taking her for a walk but she got off the leash, she’s gone.”

She had liked the dog, but she could manage to live without it if need be. But she knew how much it mattered to her son. “Where are you?”

“At the edge of town… by the welcome sign.”

She sighed, she would reprimand him for being out their later. “I’ll be right there.” She said as she walked out of the door to the station.

She drove quickly. It was just a dog, a silly little dog but she cared. It was lost in the woods; she knew it was as simple as that. But Henry should have never been out there in the first place. She would have to call him out on it later. She stopped in the middle of the road, watching as her son paced back and forth calling out.

“Lady?” He was desperate “Lady, come here.” He was staring off into the distance down the road as if the false horizon was taunting him.

Emma closed the car door behind her and joined his calls. “Lady come back.” She called out into the woods. She could feel the warm ripple of the magic in the barrier around the edge of town which kept Storybrooke removed from the rest of the world. It worried her to be so close to it, she was fighting every instance in her body which was telling her to get her children away from it.

She could feel the rain and snow mix as it felt down gently, Henry was already soaking wet from having been out in it for so long. “Henry, why don’t you get in the car we can-”

But she stopped as she felt the world around her sizzle. There was a ripple in the air as the cocker spaniel appeared in mid leap running back again over the town line and into Henry’s arms. Her keys fell to the ground in shock as she looked at her son who was clutching onto the dog.

“Did she just….” She was stuttering as she looked at Henry for confirmation. “Henry she just re-entered the town, no one can.” She paused shaking her head in disbelief. “Did she cross the line and come back?”

He looked at his mother, biting his lip. “I think so.” Emma knelt down not knowing what this could possibly mean.

She grabbed at her phone. “Regina.” She practically yelled into it. “I need you to come to the town line. My dog just left and reentered the town.”

Regina came five minutes later the tires of her car squealing as she came to a stop and ran towards Emma and Henry. “Is it possible?” Regina said her voice filled with hope.

Emma gave her a small nod and relief set into her shoulders. “Look.” Henry said to his mothers. He held a stick in his hand and held it high in front of the dog. “Lady fetch.”

It vanished in midair as if went over the town line, the dog scampered after it only to reappear a minute later to place the stick at Henry’s feet proudly.

“How is that possible?” Emma asked.

Regina looked at the dog, trying her best not to get too excited. “How did you get this dog Swan?”

“Killian and I found it on the street by my parent’s loft, it was a stray. Do you think it could have been one of the dogs affected or created by the spell?” Regina looked down at the little puppy and nodded. “What does that mean?”

“It means I think you could cross the town line and come back.” Regina said flatly.

Emma could feel her face fall. “What?” She barked. “No Regina I’m not going to….” She looked between her and Henry. She had just gained so much, she wasn’t going to possibly give that up now. But she had made Regina a promise that she would find a way to break the spell and if she was the only person who could cross the line and come back she had a very short window of time to actually accomplish that task. But she didn’t want to, she wanted to stay here and be safe. She wanted to have that little family she always dreamed of in her own house, but she also knew that Regina deserved those things as well.

“We have a limited amount of time Emma in which you could go and come back.”

“But what good will it do.” Emma could feel her voice becoming hysterical as she took short breaths. “We don’t know how to end the Snow Queens spell. Re-Regina, please.” She knew she had promised he to help but the price seemed too high.

Regina stepped forward and took a hold of Emma, holding her by both hands. “Take them with you.” Regina whispered in her ear. “Take Killian and Henry with you.” Emma was shaking her head, she couldn’t take Henry away from Regina that wasn’t fair. “This is the price I am willing to pay. Take them with you, and if you don’t succeed then Henry will still have his family a mother and a father on the other side who care about him. I’m willing to do that for you Emma. I had ten years with him. If you don’t succeed then it is your turn.”

Tears were flooding her eyes as Emma tried to speak. “What should… should… should we do to end it?”

“Find Rumpelstiltskin. Take every piece of leverage we have over him, his knife, that teacup, threaten to kill him if you have to. Find him and make him take down the barrier.” Regina said and she looked determined. “Emma I hate to ask you to save this town once more, but I am.”

“Okay.” Emma found herself saying. She was the savior this was what she was meant to do with her life, even if she didn’t like the answers.

She drove home in a daze as they packed suitcases departing for a trip in which she knew a returning might not happen. She looked around at the house that she had just gotten, at the life which was suddenly in her hands. She should say goodbye to her parents, but she knew they would only try and stop her and she didn’t need that right now.

They headed back into town silently meeting Regina and Belle at Gold’s Shop where they explained to her the plan. “You should go alone Emma.” Belle muttered. “That way if you don’t come back in a week you can still return.” She had given them all they needed, the knife and the chipped cup.

Killian shook his head. “I’m going with you. I’m not losing you again.” He said resolutely.

“Where do you think he went?” Emma asked Belle who shrugged unknowingly.

“New York.” Regina muttered under her breath. “The woman who made the spell that caused all this.” She gestured to Emma “That was where I sent her to New York City. There were some people, some past friends of mine that I scattered. I didn’t send them to Storybrooke just in case.”

Emma nodded blankly. She suddenly felt very awake, determined to have this done with as soon as possible. “If we go now we can be there by morning.” She said as she looked around the room.

Regina blinked long and hard as she thought. “Emma I think I may be asking too much of….”

Emma shook her head strongly. “Something is trying to get into Storybrooke. We have the chance not only to stop if before it gets here, but to also open us back up to the rest of the world. I’m doing this, and I will succeed” She looked at Henry and Killian, thinking sharply of the unpainted room back at her house. She had gotten a week of blissful happiness that seemed about how long it lasted around these parts. She was determined to make it last longer, to be back as soon as possible and live out the rest of her days here in Storybrooke. Regina was letting her leave with her future, but she would come back with both hers and Regina future.

“What do I tell… everyone?” Regina said as she took a hold of Emma’s wrist.

“That I am saving the town once more, and that I will be back.” Emma replied sharply. She watched as Henry hugged Regina tightly as she said goodbye to her son, and Emma swore to herself that it would not be for good.

They got into Emma’s car, the very same one that she had driven into town what seemed like a very long time ago. She looked at Henry who seemed willing for an adventure and Killian who was cautious for perhaps the first time in his life. “I want you to know that I love you both very much, but that failure is not an option.” She started the car.

None of them talked as they drove out to the city line, faster and faster she speed Killian’s left hand on her knee gripping tighter and tighter as they approached. With an extra burst of speed the crossed the line, Emma could have sworn she felt the child inside her kick sharply but she knew it was too soon for that. As she looked in the rear view mirror and saw nothing of the town behind her.

“Emma stop.” Killian screamed. Her foot slammed against the breaks as she felt his hand hit hard against her chest to keep her from hitting against the steering wheel. Her neck was sore as she looked and saw someone standing in the middle of the road, a man with a weapon pointed at them.

“Robin.” Henry yelled as they saw the man standing in the twilight.

Emma noticed him as well, but he looked horribly scruffy and unkempt as she opened the car door and stepped out into the highway. He looked at her with wide eyes as he kept his weapon raised. “Follow me and you’ll be safe for the night.”


	14. Day Fourteen: Tent City

Yesterday she had awoke to her own warm bed in her own nice house. Today she awoke to look at the blank canvas ceiling of the tent above her. Robin had lead them away from the road deeper into the heart of the forest where she stashed her car under a thicket. She would have made some type of quip about his lack of adjusting to the modern world if it had not been for the serious look upon his face. She had asked him what was happening, why he had chosen to stay in this tent city, but he had told her that he would explain when morning came, that he needed to talk to the others first. His words had chilled her as he showed them to a tent bringing them provisions and leaving them alone for the night.

Now she had awoke to find Killian sitting up staring at her looking worried. She too silently wondered if they had made a mistake in leaving the safety of the town. “Something is wrong Emma, the world shouldn’t be this way.”

“I know.” She muttered as she sat up her hand resting on her stomach, a singular reminder of the happiness she had now put in jeopardy. She stood getting to her feet, Henry was still sleeping but she couldn’t wait for him to wake in order to see what was happening in the world around her.

She opened the flap of the tent and was greeted with a great burst of howling wind. The sky above them was dark and stormy, the swirling purple and black of a horrible bruise turning the sun into a dull impression. She looked around the small camp seeing its occupants had risen with the new day but Emma thought to herself that this was not a day worth seeing.

Fires had been lit under the protection of canopies, small and feeble they were beacons in the frigid surroundings. It was there where they found Robin, whittling away at arrows with a young girl with wild red hair. Marian was also with them, sharpening swords as young Roland sat watching his father in fascination. They looked up as they approached.

“These are the new ones.” The red haired girl said her Scottish accent impossibly thick.

“Yes they came from Storybrooke just like I did.” Robin said as he indicated for them to sit by the fire. Marian handed them each a bowl of porridge.

The red head looked up at them. “Ya must be daft for leaving then.” She said with a small shake of her head.

Emma didn’t know what to say to the girl. “The last time either of us was in the real world…” She looked at Killian who gave her a small nod “Robin it’s shouldn’t be like this.”

“I know.” He replied darkly. “It started three weeks ago. The entire area around Storybrooke has been like this for weeks, no sunlight, no days, only darkness. Marian and I had found a village not far outside, the second day it was like this there was an attack. Creatures of magic, dragons in the sky they burned the village to the ground and we ran into the woods. These are the survivors of this and surrounding areas.”

Emma looked at the girl with a dash of pity. “Why did you leave?” She turned to look at Marian who had asked her in a soft and gentle voice.

“It’s a long story.” Emma muttered.

Robin smiled. “It’s been a long time apparently.” He said with a wave at the couple. “You got married, congratulations.” Emma moved to correct him, but Killian placed a hand on her leg. She looked down at it, since when had he begun to wear a wedding band.

“We have a plan to take down the barrier around Storybrooke and we need to find Rumpelstiltskin in order to do it.”

“Does he not-”

“BIRDS FROM THE NORTH.” Robin was interrupted by a young woman who had come running into the camp, her long black hair swirled around her face as she cried out. “BIRDS FROM THE NORTH.” She repeated the cry as people moved frantically to get inside their tents, extinguishing fires in their wake. Emma watched in confusion, her first though to screw them all and grab Henry and run away as fast as possible. “Ravens.” She added as she met Robin’s eye.

Robin took a hold of her and pulled her into the nearest tent, they stood in silence the six of them cramped in the small room. Killian had his arms wrapped around her shoulders as she watched Marion pick up Roland and covered his mouth with her hand. The tent flapped open and Emma wanted to scream with uncertainty, but it was just the messenger.

In the dim light of the tent she could make out the tall muscular build of the woman who was dressed similarly in the fashion that Emma had once choose for herself except that her jacket was made of green cloth rather than leather. She was stunning woman of Native American descent in her early twenties and she seemed formidable as she pulled a small dagger out of her boot and stood vigilant at the entrance to the tent. Emma wondered who she was as they stood in silence all waiting.

A dog barked once, twice, a third time and she breathed a sigh of relief as she led them out. Emma breathed once again as she stepped into the dim day and saw Henry running towards her. “Mom.” He cried as he threw his arms around her and she hugged him tightly. “What going on.”

“I don’t know kid. Something not good.” She stammered as she saw other people going them in the center of camp all of them looking at the new visitors.

There was a sharp intake of breath and she turned to see Killian standing with an axe to his throat. “Em” he breathed.

“Let him go.” She shouted as she moved to see the short young woman who was holding the weapon to him. She was Native American like the messenger but her face was rounder and softer and her hair more brown than black.

She shook her head. “This man.” She shouted “This man kidnapped me time and time again just for his own sport.”

Killian turned slightly the axe cutting into neck as he did so. “No” He breathed.

Henry moved and looked at the girl “Tiger Lily?”

Her eyes widened as she saw him. “You can’t be here.” She said in a small squeaky voice. “Peter will find you and he’ll kill us all just so he can get you.”

She was from Neverland, Emma could feel her pulse racing. “Peter Pan is dead, he has been for some time now?”

She shook her head. “What about his shadow?”

“Taken-care-of.” Killian gasped.

Emma had her hands up in the air, but no one seemed to be jumping to her aid other than Henry. “Please I know that he was a bad person in the past. I know that Killian may have done some things to you, but he is different now.”

She hardly looked convinced. “I was a princess and he captured me just to play with Peter.”

“Hey I’m a princess too.” Emma said gruffly throwing her hands up in the air.

The messenger balked. “Really of where?”

Emma blinked. “Of the Enchanted Forest.”

It was the redhead now she placed her hand on her hip. “Ya look nothing like Snow White.”

“That’s because I’m her daughter. And if I’m a princess-” She paused remember what her father had told her, that he used to dream about the type of queen she would be. “That makes him my prince.” Killian eyes widened at her comment. “Look at his hands, he’s not Captain Hook anymore. He won’t hurt you, so let him go.” She said strongly.

Tiger Lily dropped her axe and pushed Killian forward into Emma’s arms. She kissed him softly. “Remind me to ask your father about that coronation ceremony then?” He joked in her ear.

“Shut up” She muttered even though it brought a much needed smile to her face. “What are all your names and where do you come from?” She said as she looked at the people all around her.

“I am Pocahontas, and I come from this land but from a different time.” Said the messenger.

“Merida” The redhead replied. “But the Enchanted Forest is gone. It has been for some time now.”

Emma nodded. “The people of that land were sent here by a spell. Just as I assume you all were.” In the end they all came from places out of stories, some which Emma had heard of, others that she did not. “When did you get here, to this realm?”

They had been here in the forest for what seemed like a year to them. But Emma wondered how none of them had ever managed to go into Storybrooke then. Perhaps it was like a bubble inside of a bubble. She paid it no mind as she began to adjust to what life was like here in the camp.

They had for some amount of time been able to go to the outside world. But with the attacks and the burning of villages the creatures had stopped them from doing so. And Emma knew now that they too were trying to make their way into Storybrooke she had seen that first hand. “Why do you fear the ravens?” She asked Pocahontas as they settled once more around the fire.

“They belong the Sorcerer, the one with horns on her head. I do not know her name.” She replied with a shake of her head.

“Maleficent.” Henry replied. “But mom you slayed her when she was a dragon, ages ago.”

Killian looked at her with surprise “You never told me you slayed a dragon.”

“I did a lot before I met you.” She replied. She turned to look at Henry. “I don’t know maybe with the second curse some things were reset. It can’t be all animals because there was that dog that signaled it was over.”

“Scamp.” Roland cried out joyfully at the mention of a dog.

Marian gave her a small smile. “He calls the dog Scamp, it is a stray we found the forest, it seems to like us all especially when the Ravens fly away.”

Emma looked at Robin. “I don’t know what we can do to help you here. We were looking to find Rumpelstiltskin, not the kick ass princess club.”

“I thought he lived in Storybrooke.”

Emma shook her head. “He was basically excommunicated by his wife. He was controlling people, continuing Killian trying to get power for I don’t know what. He left town about two months ago, have you seen him?”

Robin shook his head. “You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you like and we can do what we can to help you find Rumpelstiltskin but I don’t know if you will be able to travel any farther than we can in any one direction.”

Neither did she, and that was what worried Emma. She stood up, allowing Killian to help her. She looked around at the ragtag group of princesses she had never heard of. “We need weapons, you got any spare swords lying around.”

Robin nodded. “We can certainly find three.” He added and Emma walked away not knowing what to think of the battle she had just stepped into. She had promised Regina that she would do this, she had implied that she would bring back Robin as well. But as she walked back with Killian by her side to their tent, she could only think of keeping her own family safe and not the others. The day passed and she learned what she could from the people in the camp, she learned of where they had come from and what they knew of their attackers, but she went to bed feeling more alone that she had in a very long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope nobody minds the addition of some new Disney characters who haven't been seen on the show.  
> Team Kick Ass Princess consists of Pocahontas (from Pocahontas), Merida (Brave) and Tiger Lily (Peter Pan). I know that Tiger Lily isn't an officially Disney Princess, but with the context of the original Peter Pan story she is considered one.


	15. Day Fifteen: Part of the Tribe

Awaking to find the skies above her once more gray Emma laid back and took a deep breath as she sank into the cot. Her hands came to rest on her burgeoning stomach as she heard him next to lying awake. She was reminded of the yesterday’s events, of the teenage who had held an axe to his throat. He had been a different man back then, but they had a future together poking out of the blankets.

She sighed. “I know you were a different man back then, and I’m not judging you but… Tiger Lily.” She muttered not even looking into his face.

He didn’t move but eventually cleared his throat. “When I finally made it to Neverland… I had wanted freedom but I found myself in Peter’s grasp. He had imagined a tribe that lived on the island, a tribe that didn’t like either of us but he wanted their princess. So he would command me, every once and a while to capture her. I would do it out of fear of my life of what he would do to me if I did not comply. I would tie her on the mast, he would pretend to rescue her and then it would cycle all over again.”

“You’re going to apologize… profusely.” Emma said dully.

“Of course.” He reached out and placed his hand on top of hers. He wasn’t that man anymore, she was certain of that, but now she would have to convince the rest of the world. His fingers were rubbing against the metal of her engagement ring. They all though they were married. Robin had made the assumption and she had never corrected him. They hadn’t discussed when an actual wedding would occur. At this point it seemed moot, she had never felt more tied to any one person in her whole life.

They readied for the day in silence, Henry long gone to explore the camp. She felt strange walking around in the black maternity pants and white shirt which had recently been her mother’s but they had hardly any time to pack let alone tell anyone where they were going. She could see it now, the century post which had been set up by her father on the town line, not knowing that on the other side there was only darkness. They must be panicking, Regina taking the blame, and as much as she wanted to return swiftly she knew it was not possible with what they had found.

They stepped outside each of them wearing a sword suddenly feeling like part of the tribe and they ventured out into what was now their temporary home. Henry was over the archery range which had been set up along a long row of trees. Three laughing red headed boys around his age were all doing their best to try and teach him how to shoot a bow and arrow. He wasn’t that bad Emma noted as she watched him.

“There my brothers.” She recognized the voice of Merida without having to look at the woman. The resemblance between them was evident. “Three little terrible bothers… yet I love em.” She added.

She turned to look at her. She didn’t look much like a princess in a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt with her hair pulled back into a braid but then neither did Emma. “You said you knew my mother.”

Merida’s hand tossed her braid a few hairs popping out of place “I never met her, I only ever saw the wanted posters. A princess on the run… I admired her.” She smiled.

“You admired that?” She said in surprise.

“Aye. But then again, I once turned my mum in a bear so I don’t have to marry someone against my will.” She giggled. “But I learned then that I was the one in charge of my own fate I just had to keep it in my own hands.” She was convinced then that somehow all the princess that she would have gotten along with when she was a child and somehow ended up here instead of in Storybrooke.

Emma nodded in understanding. “I’ve changed my fate and the fate of those I love a dozen times over.”

Merida looked at her in surprise “Ya changed your fate?”

“Did you think that you were the only princess who could do that?”

Merida smiled widely, clearly taking a liking to her “You’re not a normal princess are you?”

“What makes you say that?” Emma had never really considered how she stacked up to the other princesses mostly because she didn’t often get to do princess like things.

She balked. “Ya married a pirate.”

Emma laughed. “If you ever have the chance to travel to different realms you should go looking for a woman named Mulan. I think you’d get a long pretty well.”

“What kind of name is Muu-lawn?” Merida asked

“Look who’s asking.” Killian said as he approached the women. He placed an arm around Emma and whispered into her ear skeptically. “The two of them in the same room you really think that would work?”

She laughed. “Oh yeah.” She nodded, he was clueless as to seeing just how much it would work.

Merida stood their shaking her head at the pair, their affection making her feel sick. “Aren’t ya Henry’s dad?” She asked with a tilt of her head struggling to see the resemblance in what seemed to her a logical conclusion.

He shook his head regrettably. “Not by blood. His real father passed away.” They left it at that, if need be they could explain it all to her one day.

“You should both know how to shoot.” She said matter of factly and she insisted that each of them pick up and bow and arrow and learn how to shoot. Emma didn’t struggle as much as Killian who nearly took out one of the triplets eyes as he struggled to aim. He blamed her skills on a genetic predisposition to use an antiquated weapon, but she was tickled to see him be such of a sore loser.

**

Henry was following Pocahontas, watching as the woman darted ahead of him. She was nimble on her feet as she moved from tree to see, ever heedful as she led them into the woods near the stream. It was their only source of much needed water and he had offered to come with her and Tiger Lily as an extra set of hands to carry canteens back to camp. He watched the two young woman; from a far they looked similar even though Pocahontas was taller than Tiger Lily but up close they were as different as could be. Tiger Lily was more timid and unsure in the woods, she had lived on an island her whole life repeating childhood over and over again until she had somehow broken free of that place. Pocahontas was in her stride in these woods as she adjusted the quiver of arrows over her shoulder.

“How much further?” Henry whispered at Tiger Lily he could hear water but they seemed to be moving away from it.

She looked at him with the strangest expressions. “There is a meadow we have to pass, the pond is beyond that.” She replied simply but she looked as if she had wanted to say more. In his time on Neverland Henry had never met Tiger Lily, Pan had never even talked about her in fact. The only other mentions of women who had lived on the island had been of Wendy and Tinkerbell. Perhaps he had been occupied with trying to kill Henry to save his immortality or since the departure of Captain Hook he had lost any desire in using her as his plaything.

“How did you leave Neverland?” He asked her.

Her face fell. “I watched you leave, I watched you take all the lost boys with you. I watched from atop of the ridge.” She replied distantly.

“Couldn’t you have come to?”

She shook her head. “I was part of the island, part of what Peter had dreamed up. I didn’t think it was possible to leave. The island remained for some time, I wandered it alone with my family.” She paused. “But then one day it was gone. I awoke to find myself in this forest along with everyone else who had once lived on Neverland, even the mermaids had legs.” She smiled to herself, Henry had heard about the mermaids, he doubted that they would have ever liked to have legs.

“But Peter Pan died and you are still here. Killian, Captain Hook he was part of the Pan’s illusions but he had been a real person before he sailed to Neverland, is it possible that you were real before as well.”

“I don’t know.” She replied “I only remember Neverland.”

“And after Peter died in Storybrooke you came here then?”

Tiger Lily nodded. “That must be want happened. Things were fine for a while, we had a village near where the river turns to the sea, but then the birds came. Then the water turned on us and we were driven into the woods where we found the others.”

Ahead of them Pocahontas was shooting them backward glances as if cursing the fact that they had chosen to talk to one another, but Henry saw no problem with it they were being quiet. Still he and Tiger Lily fell quiet as Pocahontas instructed them to crawl through the grassy meadow. It was small, but still the lack of trees did not provide them with any coverage and they moved as quickly as possible over the small hill and down into another grove of trees where a still pond lay.

For the first time he watched Pocahontas relax as she placed down her bow and began to fill the water bottles which Henry and Tiger Lily handed him. Henry looked into his reflection, it was a strange sensation to go a few days without looking at yourself and then suddenly seeing your own face. He nearly didn’t recognize himself. Something that Tiger Lily has said was ringing in his ear. “The water turned on you.” He looked at her sharply. “What do you mean by that?”

She looked down at her hands. “It became black like ink, poisonous black that oozed and killed everything that it touched. The river rose faster than any one could imagine, most of us didn’t run fast enough. We wandered for two days before those of us who were left came upon Merida’s clan.”

Pocahontas’s hand was skimming the surface of the clear water. “This land is strange.” She muttered. “When I come from there is magic in the air, in the essence of nature. It provides for those who live on it. It does not turn against them.”

Lily looked at Henry. “You know of the many realms, are there _any_ in which such terrible things are possible?”

He thought for a moment, wishing that he had brought the book with him. He knew of many words but he had come out into the woods and found a great many characters whom he had never heard of. Pocahontas and Merida were both new to him, he wracked his brain for a tale which took place along the sea of some vengeful god who could insure such as wrath but he knew of none. He shook his head.

“The Pirate Prince will know.” Pocahontas replied. Henry thought it strange her calling Killian that. “Men who travel know many tales.” She added as she finished refilling the last of the water.

“Perhaps we should as my mother instead.” Henry suggested seeing the hollow expression on Tiger Lily’s face.

She shook her head. “He spoke to me earlier and apologized for what he did in the past.” She began softly. “If you, the truest believer can trust him then I can too.” She added with a smile.

Pocahontas stiffened as she slung her quiver over her shoulder. “Then back to camp we shall go.” She said leading them. “In silence.” She added.

Henry looked at Tiger Lily and they both let out silent giggles.

**

She spent the evening walking the perimeter of the camp with Robin. He was chilly in his conversation topics clearly wanting to ask about Regina but also wanting to stay faithful to the wife who was only alive because of Emma.

“I can’t believe you were with child when you risked your life for those people from Arendelle.” He said, his words hanging in the air like all too familiar snowflakes.

“I wasn’t pregnant then.” Emma said slowly.

He stopped to look her up and down. “There is no possible…”

She cut him off explaining to him what had really happened. He had the right to know, out of all of them Robin needed to make it back into town or she shuddered to think about what Regina would possibly do next if he did not. He looked at her sympathetically after that as everyone seemed to do. But she was past the point where she was sick to her stomach, she was ready to be treated like a real person now.

Finally he asked what she had been waiting for all along. “How is Regina doing?” She let him finish his sentence watching as he smiled waiting for her reply.

She was honest with him. “She misses you because she loves you. She has a hard time accepting that what she did was the right thing even though she knows it inside. She clinging on to whatever hope she has which is little. And I promised her that I would bring you back.”

He nodded. “I understand. I miss her too. I know that Marian could not have survived out in this world alone, but also that the world we entered was not worth it. It would have been a kindness of let her die in peace than to put her through this.”

Emma could not agree more and she was pleased to know that if they succeeded in stopping Maleficent and whoever was with her that he would be willing to return back. There was only one possible silver lining. “However if I did not have to come out here to get you, we would have never known what was awaiting us at the gates.”

They finished their watch in silence and she fell asleep somewhat more comfortable in her plans.


	16. Day Sixteen: Charming

She would only be able to properly fire a bow for so much longer, Emma was aware of that as she woke up that day fifteen had come and past of her strange pregnancy knowing that while she was roughly halfway long the child growing inside of her still had quite a ways to go. She stood in the yard with her sword in the early morning, going back and forth back and forth remembering what seemed so natural to her. It was cathartic the focus on the footwork learning whole new center of balance as she thrust and parried. She hardly noticed any one watching her as they began to go about their day.

“Swan.” She opened her eyes as she saw Killian standing in front of her his hands on his hips looking very much like her father even though she would never admit it. “What are you doing?”

“Practicing.” She replied lightly.

“Oh that’s charming.” He said with an eye roll.

She couldn’t resist. “We’ll I do have to live up to the family name love.”

He stifled a laugh as he withdrew his own sword. He was never going to be able to keep her from fighting in any type of battle, he knew that but he could still give her a run for her money. After all that they had been though having a little bit of lighthearted fun with her seemed to be the least he could do.

He raised his sword and she did as well, giving him a small knowing glance as they both began to pace around one another. The dirt kicked up at their feet as they moved around in a circular motion, swords crossed waiting for the other to lunge forward. Emma was the first to move forward fainting a low strike to his knee before she pulled her sword up and to his face.

He jumped easily to the side blocking the move easily as he stepped in towards her, his arm up to cross his face as his downward pointing sword brushed hers easily past him. His body pressed up against her back as she began to lose her balance. “Slower than you used to be aren’t you?” His shield block easily turned into a swing near her shoulder with a flick of his wrist, but she counter it still raising her own foil high above her head blindly.

“Really.” She drawled. “You’re going to play that card.” She added as she pushed away from him and took two small steps forward turning back to face him, their swords crossed once more.

He looked at her with surprise, since when did she fight with her left hand? Almost every time she had ever seen her with a sword it had always been in the right. They began to circle against one another again, he watched closely her footwork wasn’t as good as it should be when her left side was forward.

He placed his sword in both hands, relishing in the feeling as he pulled it over his head and pulled it down sharply. He should have only used one hand, he realized as he felt her dive in and tap him lightly on the side as she brushed past him once more and slipped as quickly in as she had out.

He spun around somewhat flummoxed as he felt the tip of her sword hovering near his back. “Make it a fair fight Emma.” He chided. “Use your right hand.”

There was a funny expression on her face almost as if she did not want to make it a fair fight. But he watched as she tossed the sword up in the air and caught it with her dominant hand. He lunged at her once more and she stepped to the side using the hilt of her sword to send his clattering to the ground. She kicked the back of his knee and he felt sputtering into the dirt.

“I win.” She laughed as he turned over to see her sword in his face. He looked up at her smiling radiantly knowing that they had both won in their own way as she helped him to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her, breathing her in. She hadn’t washed in a few days but he didn’t care, as long as he could touch her with both his hands he was alright.

**

Emma watched as Marian sat by the fire slowly turning the creature over the flames. She had a distant look upon her face and Emma was reminded of what Robin had told her the night before, that letting her die may have been the kinder thing to do. She looked up giving Emma a small nod as she sat down next to her.

“I saw you together today.” She said in a wistful voice. “Love suits you both. If only someone had ever looked at me that way.” Emma didn’t know what to say to that confession. She just looked at Marian stated sadly into the flames. “You should have never rescued me. I know that now.”

Emma looked at the dirt beneath her feet, slowly making circles with her foot. “What about Roland?”

Marian looked up at her. “We make sacrifices for our children Miss Swan. I should have made the ultimate one. He is young and this is the not the life a young boy deserves to live. Promise me that you will find a way for them to return back to Regina.”

All she could do was nod as she rested her hand against her stomach. Thinking of her own children and what she would do for them. A shaggy grey dog, nearly all skin and bones came running into the tent and Marian tried to shoo him away.

Roland came in, running after the dog calling after it “Scamp! Come back Scamp!” Marian put on a fake smile as her son entered and chased after the dog, another one following it.

Marian stiffened as she picked up her son and look at the new creature. “Roland where did that come from?” She asked her voice filled with fear.

Emma had her hand resting on the hilt of her sword as she looked at the new creature. “Lady!” She called out as she squatted down to pick up the dog who gleeful licked. “You followed us, didn’t you girl. It’s alright Marian this is my dog.”

Marian looked at it suspiciously, but Emma looked at the small spaniel as an idea filled her head. “How did it get here?”

“It followed us past the town line.” Emma replied as she realized that the dog could go back and forth. “Marian I need something to write with.” She added with determination.

**

“Emma.” Killian shouted as he ran towards her. “I was just talking with Henry and Tiger Lily. She had been living by the water and the water turned into a poisonous ink killing whatever it touched. I think that is the work of Ursula.” He paused to look at the dog and scroll in her hand. “What is Lady doing here?”

Emma looked up at him and smiled. “She followed us, and I want you and Robin to go to the line and send her back with a message for the town.”

He paused. “What makes you think someone will find it?”

She giggled. “We both know that my father has some waiting on the edge of the town line waiting for us to return, but they need to know what is happening out here, and maybe Regina can help us with stopping these attacks so we can go and find Gold.”

He nodded, taking both the dog and the scroll from her before kissing her quickly. “As you wish.” He added running off across the yard to go and find Robin.

They waited until the sky had darkened and set out on foot on the log trek back towards the road. Silently they moved, the roads were being watched Robin had told him as they made their way to the invisible line where the outside world ended and Storybrooke began. He clutched the dog in his hands, he had told it to come back but he wasn’t sure how much a dog could understand him. Still he placed it down and picked up a stick.

“Lady. Go get it.” He said as he threw it across the line and watched the dog disappear after it knowing it was only a matter of time before they found of if their plan was worth it.

**

David paced up and down the loft, clutching onto his son as he looked at the phone waiting for it to ring. His daughter had been gone for nearly four days now. He understood what she was doing, understood why she had done it now, but he was still residually angry. But more than anything he was worried out of his mind that she would never come back. He had awoken on Saturday morning to Regina knocking on his door, explaining what had happen the night before. That while Emma was pregnant she was able to cross in between the town and the outside world. That she had left with Killian and Henry to go and find Gold.

It was why she had taken them that David did not understand. It made it seem like she was leaving permanently. Regina had explained that it had been her idea but it didn’t make him like it any more. He had established watch along the main road someone would be waiting ready to call him the moment when they returned. But two days had past and he was growing more worried than ever.

“You’re going to make him sick.” Mary Margaret whispered as she took Neal from him.

“We should go.” He said looking at her coldly. “We should follow them.”

His wife sighed. “David.” She breathed. She was just as worried as he was. “We need to have faith that Emma will manage to do this. She has never let us down before.”

His clutched as his fists his dull nails digging into his palm nearly to the point of bleeding. This was his pregnant daughter and Rumpelstiltskin, he had faith in her but not it what the other man would do.

The phone rang and he lunged for it. “Yes.” He shouted into the other end. “Are they back?”

It was Regina on the other end, her voice was rattled. “No but they sent a message back. David I need to see you.”

He was in the car driving as fast as he could Mary Margaret saying nothing as Neal screamed his head off in the back seat. A message, his heart was pounding as he wondered what it could possibly be. He stopped the car seeing the small group which and formed near the welcome sign and he ran towards her taking the scrolled piece of paper from her and reading it as fast as he could.

_I’m alright._ It began in her neat handwriting, _But something has gone wrong with the outside world._

_I think it began not shortly after the ice wall fell. There are people living in the forest which surround Storybrooke who are from other realms. The Indian tribe from Neverland, the clans from the Highlands north of the Enchanted Forest, the tribe of a woman named Pocahontas they have all been living in these woods now for some time and none of them are from this time or place._

_About three weeks ago, their villages and settlements began to be attacked. Tiger Lily’s village had their River turn to black poisonous ink, the work of Ursula I think. Pocahontas’s village was burned down by a dragon, Maleficent. They have all found their way together and made a camp along with Robin, but they are simply sitting here waiting and hiding from scout Ravens which only bring bad word._

_There is something dark upon the gates of Storybrooke, we have fallen in with its protectors but I do not know how much longer we can last. We need your help, we need to know more about Maleficent and Ursula and who ever may be helping them. We need all of your help if we are to stop this._

_Send word back with the dog._

_I love you all._

_Emma_

David looked up at Regina his face fallen as he looked at how worried she too was. “Who are they?”

Regina looked at him despairingly. “Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Vil. Together they are nearly unstoppable. I should know, I introduced them to one another.” She added with regret. David saw for the first time how much she had truly grown in the time that he had known her.

“How can we stop them?”

She nodded. “They are like pillars of evil, you take down one it will affect the others.”

He looked around at the many citizens of the town “How do we do it. How do we help them stop this?”

“I don’t know.”

“Regina.” He yelled and she jumped like a frightened animal.

“Give me time.” She stammered

He was getting angry again, nearly tempted to push her over the line itself. “They don’t have time Regina.”

She knew that, she wasn’t stupid. She wondered if he had forgotten that it was her son who was over there as well, that she had just as much of an investment to want them to all safely return as he did.” I scattered them.” She whispered. “They may have once been my acquaintances but I scattered them around this realm when we came back. Someone brought them all together.”

“Rumpelstiltskin.” David muttered. “And now he is trying to what, have them re-enter town for him.”

She nodded, he could be correct she wasn’t sure. She needed some time to come up with a plan of her own she could help those on the other side. She desperately wanted to know now that Robin was part of that group. It would be somewhat aided by the fact that Emma had magic, but she also needed time to think of a plan.

“Send a message back.” She said looking at David. “I can work on something but it might take me a day or two.”

“You write it.” He said with a nod. “I’ll meet you at your place.” He added strongly as he walked back to his own car, Emma’s note still clutched in his hand as he drove off.

Regina found a piece of paper and leaning over the hood of her car she wrote the message quickly.

_We can find a way to help you but it will take time. You are facing Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella de Vil aided I believe by Rumpelstiltskin. Give us two days’ time to come up with a plan._

She tied it around the dog’s neck and set it back.

It bounded back moments later. She looked at the short message reading it in his voice.

_Keep the dog until then. Thank you and good luck. - Robin_ The handwriting alone set her into a flutter. She shook her head wishing that internally she was not acting like a teenager, even though she secretly relished the feeling.

The Charming’s were standing outside of her door when she arrived, David was pacing angrily Mary Margaret trying to calm him down as she held the baby who looked helpless.

“We have two days’ time.” Regina said as she brushed past them and unlocked her front door allowing them inside.

“Two days.” David hissed clearly unhappy with that answer.

“Thank you Regina.” Mary Margaret said with an uncomfortable glance at her husband. He was being ungrateful and both of the women knew that. “What do you need us to do?”

She looked at them slightly unsure of what it was she did need them to do. But here they were offering to help, mending bridges which she didn’t think we’re ever going to be possible to heal. She wasn’t going to push them away, that would be something stupid to do and Regina knew that. She had dealt with Maleficent before and she knew that was not the one worth knocking down. Ursula had threatened and insulted her but she still had power of an entire element which was terrifying.

But Cruella de Vil was the weakest of them all. She could control animals, she had been able to get her spell into Storybrooke and into Emma but she had little else she could do. Regina looked at David and Mary Margaret she had once tried so hard to ruin their lives because she believed that Snow had did that to her. She remembered what Emma half-jokingly thanked her for cursing her parents for making her life what it was. Regina wondered if she should return the favor. If Snow had never blabbed on her and Daniel all those years ago she would have never found her way her and back to the remembering the goodness which was once in her heart.

But she wasn’t going to get sentimental not now at least, not until she could see Robin with her own eyes and have her own ending.


	17. Day Seventeen: James

Emma woke up in dull pain, realizing that the child inside her was kicking violently. She nearly sat up and cursed but as her world around her became clearer she could feel a hand that was not her own resting on her stomach.

“James stop being so mean to your mother.” She heard Killian whisper softly. She kept her eyes closed listening as he continued to talk unaware that she was awake. “She’s not going to like it if you make this harder for her than it already is. We weren’t expecting you James, but we are both so glad that you are here now, so stop kicking her please.” She was trying not to cry. He had already named it James. She had always thought that if it was going to be a boy that he would want to name it after his brother Liam but she was wrong. There was another sharp kick and she let out an involuntary gasp.

“Are you alright?” He asked as helped her sit up.

She gave a curt nod. “James?” She whispered not able to keep a secret.

“After your father.”

She laughed to herself, of course he was trying to get into his good graces, if only her father could have just seen what she had witnessed he would have been won over. “And I assume you’ll want his middle name to be your father’s name which is probably something ridiculous like Tiberius.”

He squinted. “No I was thinking James David.”

“James David Jones just sounds weird.”

He shook his head as she sat up and swung her legs on the other side of the cot. “Swan. James David Swan.” She sighed her head falling to rest on his shoulder. She wanted this moment to last forever she didn’t want to leave the tent she didn’t want her son or daughter inside her to grown any bigger she just wanted to remember this moment and live in its bliss.

“Why haven’t you gone back?”

She blinked letting the words hang in the air for a moment. “Why haven’t you gone back? You can cross the line Emma, you could have gone back and warned them all by now.”

She didn’t want to go back, not if the answer meant leaving the rest of them behind. “The line is being watched.” She said finally, remembering what Robin had told her days ago. “If we’re lucky whoever is behind this doesn’t know we’re here. We should keep it that way as long as we can. If I’m seen crossing the line…”

“Maleficent, Ursula, Rumpelstiltskin they would all know.” Killian finished for her.             

The flap of the tent flew open and Henry appeared realizing that he had stepped in on an intimate moment his face flushed with color. Tiger Lily was standing behind him biting her lip as she looked upon a man who was unlike the one she had ever known. Emma looked at the girl wondering how old she was, she appeared to be a teenager and she appeared to be spending a lot of time with Henry. She may have been ready for another baby but she was not ready for that.

Her head was still resting on Killian’s shoulder. “Can we help you?” She asked softly.

“Merida’s father.” Henry began “Fergus he wants to talk to you both.”

Emma gave him a small nod. “Give us a few minutes.” She muttered as she watched them both leave. She could hear them whispering outside of the tent but she could not make out what they were saying.

They dressed quickly in the clothes that they had which were becoming increasingly more stinky, even while aboard a ship they had somehow managed to keep cleaner than this Killian thought to himself.

“It’s nice that he had made a few friends.” He whispered into her ear. She looked up at him with an icy glance. He understood her worries with a single glance. “Oh Emma do you think….” Henry was too young for that, and she had been a child for hundreds of years. But he paused as they both listened to the pre-teens outside laugh together. “Not on my watch.” He said loudly as he left the tent and stood menacingly in front of the young pair breaking them apart with his hands. “Henry.” He bellowed somewhat flustered as he looked down at them. “Why don’t you go see if Robin needs any help?”

Emma watched as Henry scampered off looking confused. “Tiger Lily can you take us to Fergus.” She said sweetly as she took Killian by the arm. “ _Real_ smooth. You’re a _natural_ at this whole parenting thing.” She teased into his ear, he really was more like her father than he knew.

Merida’s father was a giant bear of a man with a wooden leg which seemed too small to support his overly large frame. His pin head face was covered with the same wild red hair as his daughters and every word out of his mouth seemed to make the ground shake. He was exactly the same sort of merrily wandering soul that Killian was, she felt as if she was almost looking into her future as she watched him bounce up and down on his seat by the fire outside of his large tent.

Tiger Lily introduced them as backed away slowly both Killian and Emma noting which directions into the woods she had gone. “Welcome to my neck of the woods.” He said, he was fidgeting in his seat sitting in a most unroyal like manner. “It’s an honor to meet the daughter of Snow White and her prince.” They both nodded curtly, Killian seeming a little unsure of being called a prince but it was technically what a marriage to Emma would make him. “Oh got on over here and have a glass of something to drink.”

He stood up from his chair with ease and held the flap of his tent open as they entered. It was just as lively as the man himself covered in the same tartan pattern it seemed warm and comforting more like a home than a refuge from one.

“Whiskey?” He said as he handed a large glass to Killian who sniffed it. Emma knew of his love for rum but he would take whatever was given to him as he raised the glass in a toast.

They followed him to a large wooden table where they all sat down on the long benches and began to talk. “Why did you want to see us?” Emma asked as she looked around.

“I heard the talk about what’s going to happen. Something about a battle I was wondering what good I could do to help?”

Emma looked at him and wondered what he really could do. He seemed like he was a skilled fighter, his children certainly had enough skills, but Emma still didn’t know what the plan was and she wouldn’t know until tomorrow. But still he was looking at her with the same expression that the people of Storybrooke had looked at her with so many times. She was their leader, lead them. A small voice said in her head.

“You come from a realm near my parents, have you ever heard of Maleficent?” Emma asked him calmly.

He have one solemn bob of his head forward gave her enough of an answer. “Aye I have heard of her and what she did to the maiden Aurora. She was not someone who you wanted to get on the bad terms of, I did all that I could to avoid ever meeting her.”

Emma had expected to hear that much, he had heard of her and that was all. That was all any of these people who had taken refuge in the wood had done, heard of villains, survived their own encounters but they knew little of what was coming to them. The sky was darkening above them as the forces of darkness drew closer. They would be fighting magic, she wondered how much their swords and bows could really do. She looked at him, he was a King in his own way, he wore a crown somewhere beneath that mass of hair, he must have heard of someone else.

“Fergus” She paused knowing that if his answer was no she would be the only one then. “We will be fighting magic with swords and bows, do you know of anyone in the camp who has magic?”

He shook his massive head. “We are in a land without it I have been told.”

Emma nodded and excused herself from the tent. It was not a land without magic, she knew that more than any of them. But if she was the only one then she was truly terrified. She didn’t want to put herself in danger if she didn’t have to. Killian stumbled out of the tent behind her, she had expected that the half drunken king would have convinced him to stay.

“Emma” He called out after her. Running to catch up with her and taking her hand. He pulled her towards himself and hugged her tightly.

“I scared.” She whispered into his ear. “I’m scared that we are going to lose everything that we will be able to do nothing to help save the city or ourselves.”

He had the same fears but he didn’t voice them. “Wait until tomorrow Emma. See what Regina and the others have come up with.”

She looked up at the skies darkening above them. What if they did not have until tomorrow? “Find Henry.” She whispered into his ear and she pushed him away gently walking back to their tent.

Her real home was less than a few miles away. She could have gone there in the cover of the eternal darkness, she could cross the line and be safe within the confines of Storybrooke untill the next terrible thing rolled into town, but that would mean leaving Killian and Henry behind and she could not do that, not even in her dreams.

She found the small wrapped item and held it in her hands sitting on the bed until Henry came back into the room. He looked at her and then the thing in her hands with surprise.

“Mom.” He said in a flat voice of warning. “Tell me you are not planning to….”

She shook her head and unrolled the dagger its curved blade glittering without needing its own light source. “I want you to hold onto it Henry.”

“Why?” He said as he took it in his hands. She didn’t trust herself with it that was part of the reason. Given the chance she knew that she would show Gold no mercy. But that Henry would, he was young and he still saw the goodness in everyone who he met.

“Because I have a plan.” She whispered the canvas of the tent rustled. “Come inside Killian.” She added watching as he entered looking at her darkly. “I will slay Maleficent again, I will do whatever I need to do to Ursula and de Vil, but the most important part of this plan is that whatever happens Gold can’t see me.”

Henry looked at her widely. “How do you know he is involved?”

She sighed. “Because I can put two and two together. This only happened after he left Storybrooke and only he would have known where Regina hid her old enemies. He can’t see me Henry because he will use me against you both.”

“And what do I have to do?”

“You’ll give him a choice.” She paused pulling out second wrapped thing from behind her back, a chipped tea cup and Henry understood. “He will make you a counter offer. He will say it is your destiny to take his place as the next Dark One, but only you will be able to refuse him.”

He was looking at her terrified, Killian was as well. “How do you know I will?”

She smiled at him, praying she wasn’t telling him a lie. “Because you have the power to change the story. You did it before when you brought me to Storybrooke you can do it again.”

He nodded taking the things from her and carefully placing them in his backpack when he then swung over his shoulder. Killian waited until he left before he looked to her. “You think that Henry is the author.” She nodded at him. “And that the author is a powerful magician.”

She stood, and looked him in the eyes. “You and I both know that sometimes love can be magic, and Henry is beloved by all.”


	18. Day Eighteen: Invisible

Regina stood hugging her hands against her body, fighting off the cold as she watched the dog disappear. She had a plan, she hoped it would work, she was done with sending her advisories off to new realms. It may have been the most ethical of decisions but was it really the best to just send them off to another land where they could terrorize people. She had though that by sending them to this word where they had no magic they could do no harm either. But she was wrong, together they had managed to cause havoc inside and outside of Storybrooke. Take one of them down, it was all they needed to do stop one of the trio and the rest would be powerless.

**

Emma watched from the shadows as the dogs reappeared and bounded through the forest towards her. She smiled as she picked it and read the message attached from Regina. If all she needed to do was stop one of them then that was something which she could easily be done. Emma looked at the piece of paper, considering responding. “Killian hand me the cloak.” She said throwing all caution to the wind. If Robin was right, if someone was watching it would be suspicious to see a dog hop back and forth between the boundary. The cloak had been Henry’s idea, one which she was more that will able to make into reality with some magic and concentration.

It was heavy as he tied it around her shoulders. He kissed her gently, not daring to speak though his eyes did that for him. _Come back to me._ They told her and she gave him a curt nod.

“Give Regina my love.” Robin replied as she drew the folds of the cloak around her, only her face visible until she pulled up the hood.

“Don’t wait for me here. I will meet you back at the camp in five hours.”

She didn’t look back as she walked out onto the road and through the warm barrier which divided the town from the rest of the world.

**

Regina jumped as she saw the head of Emma Swan appear before her in midair. Emma chucked before she pushed aside the fabric of the cloak to reveal the rest of her body before she took it off and placed it in a large bag. Regina sighed with relief as she looked at her. She had barely looked pregnant when she had driven out of town less than a week ago, now she was unmistakably so.

“An invisibility cloak.” Emma said as she gave her a hug. “A device of Henry’s imagination.” She added looking at the small crowd who had gathered. “He sends his love.” She whispered into Regina’s ear she could see a small smile as the women pulled apart.

“There is a quite a lot to tell you.” Regina replied as she led her back to her car. “How much time do you have?”

“I told them I would be back in five hours” Emma muttered as she sank into the seat of the car, relishing in what seemed like such a small luxury now, the dream of a shower coming across her mind.

“Then we better get to work.”

**

Emma made her way down the steps of Regina’s crypt with some uneasiness. The steps were uneven in width and height and she clung onto the wall as she took each step blindingly down. Inside she was greeted with seeing a collection of books scattered about all over the place, she took a closer look at Regina, the would seemed to not have slept at all in the past few days.

Regina allowed her to sit, and showed her a small vial filled with an opalescent liquid. She held in front of her carefully not allowing Emma to touch it. “This is death.” She said in a small voice. Emma looked up at her surprised to see her shunning the concept of death for the first time. “Together they are unstoppable but kill one and the other two become mortal and easily slain.”

“Regina.” Emma said with her brow raised.

“I’m done with sending them away the nice way Swan. We’ve killed villains before have we not? This is no different.” She placed the vial inside of a pouch and gave it to her. “Don’t use it yourself. One drop one splatter from the wind on you and it will kill you as well.”

Emma nodded, wondering who possibly would want that suicide mission, but that would be something she could deal with later. “Thank you Regina.”

She nodded curtly. “I can only assume that it was Rumpelstiltskin who brought them all together.”

“I came to the same conclusion.” Emma replied, “Don’t worry I already have a plan for him.” She replied darkly. Regina gave her a small nod of surprise but asked no more.

“When will all this happen?”

“Tomorrow.”

Emma had decided there was no point in making them all wait any longer for the inevitable, she wanted to go back to her own life and her own house. She wanted this to be over as soon as possible. “Do you need reinforcements to come over?”

She shook her head. “We have all the warrior princess that you could ever imagine.”

“Then we will be waiting on the other side awaiting the moment the barrier is down.” Regina said with a small smile unable to hold her containment that soon she would get to see Robin again and largely due to what Emma had managed to do. “You should go visit your parents, and the doctor as well.”

Emma climbed up the stairs, a somewhat easier task and got back in the car feeling somewhat perturbed knowing that she was carrying a vial of liquid death around with her. They stopped at the hospital first, nothing was wrong Emma had known that, she had been pregnant before she knew what it was supposed to feel like.

“Do you want to know the sex of your baby?” She blinked at the doctor as she looked at the image on the ultrasound, mercifully it wasn’t clear there. She shook her head, not wanting to know without Killian to be there to have his hopes of a son dashed. But she took the image and tucked it away in her bag to show to him later than evening.

Her parents cried, Neal cried too, though likely for different reasons. They hugged her, they fed her and let her wash and change her clothes and they asked her about the different people she had met.

“Have you ever heard of Pocahontas?” Emma asked as she sat the dining table as if nothing had changed from a week ago when in reality everything was different.

David shook his head but her mother looked up. “Maybe. I think my mother used to tell me a story about a princess from a new world, I think that may have been her name. What is she like, what are they all like?”

Emma let out a chuckled. “It’s basically the kick ass princess club on the other side of the border.”

Her mother hit her gently in arm.  “I was something to behold in my day. I was a wild child just like you.”

“Yeah but not Aurora or Cinderella there’re more traditional princesses with the growns and the dancing lessons.”

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes at her daughter and threw her hands up in the air jokingly. “Then we will just see what type of a princess you turn out to be when you have an infant to take care of.” Emma could imagine herself to be the type of a princess who would ride into the battlefield with her child on her back. The only person she would be avoiding tomorrow was Gold, and that was only a precaution so that her plan worked and he did not have any leverage over Henry.

An hour passed by quickly and Emma hated to leave but she knew it was only for a day more at least. “Wait.” David cried out as she stood in the doorway. He ran upstairs and came back a sword in his hand. “Here take it.” He said pushing it into her arms with no more comment.

She thanked them once more and then climbed once more into Regina’s car.  They stopped at the edge of town and she once more made sure that she had everything she needed. Her father’s sword, the vial, she placed the cloak around her shoulders and looked back at Regina once more.

“Good luck Emma.” She said as she watched her disappear knowing that her hopes and happiness was resting on her.

**

Emma nearly ran back to camp, her heart pounding in her chest as with each step she grew closer to safety. The cloak fell open revealing her body as she entered the city of tents running towards the center where they were all waiting for her.

He stood as soon as he saw her, running out to meet her and hosting her up in the air as he kissed her. She felt as if she had been gone for years instead of hours as she looked into the oceans of his eyes once more as his hands swirled in her air.

There was a sharp cough “Mom, Dad you’re embarrassing me.” Henry called out. They broke apart into laughter pulling him in between the two of them as the three of them walked into camp together arms wrapped around their son.

Robin stood as he saw them approaching his face all seriousness. “What is the news from Storybrooke?” He said rapidly as Emma sat down around the large fire and began to pull the pouch and vial from her bag.

“Regina says that we only need to take down one of three main assailants, with this.” She held up the vial. “After that the other two will lose their magic, they will become mortal and bows and swords will be able to kill them.”

“I will do it.” Robin said, reaching for the vial but Emma pulled it away from his hand.

“If one drop touches you even by accident you will die.” She said looking at not only Robin but everyone else around the fire. “Who is willing to take that chance?”

A leader, a queen just as her father had always wanted her to be, she wondered if this was what he had imagined in those daydreams.

“I will.” She turned to find the source of the voice, but it was someone hidden in the shadows of the dark night. Then she stepped forward. “I will do it.” Said Marian.

“Marian no.” Robin called out but she placed a hand up to her husband.

“I was supposed to die a very long time ago in a different place. I didn’t because of Emma’s kindness, I thought that it would be better for you and Roland if I lived but I know now that it is not. I may have given you a son but I can give you nothing more. Let me correct this, let me make it possible for you and Roland and Regina to have the life you all deserve.”

She reached out and took the velvet bag from Emma, looking at Robin and giving him a small nod.

“You cannot do this Marian.”

She nodded at him, she so very much could. “I get to say by goodbyes this way, I get to make my peace with the world and I get to leave knowing that I made a difference. If you ever loved me Robin, give me that.”

Robin looked from Marian to Emma as if she was going to help him decide. Regina had told him to go, she had practically pushed him through, he had made up his mind months ago they were all adult enough to admit it. He looked at Marian and nodded. “I would be honored to know that you made that sacrifice.”

They dispersed, in the morning they would all going together again, they would grab arms and make a final stand but for now there was only this night. Marian would take care of one of the trio, they would fight off the other two and then Henry would do his part.

Robin watched as Marian knelt down in the dirt and looked up in her sons eyes. “Roland.” She whispered, the boy barely knew her. He had been so small when she had been taken and now he had grown nearly a year older since then in the time he had spent in Storybrooke. In the beginning he needed to be reminded that she was his mother, and the idea of never seeing Regina again had been hard on him at first. “Roland.” She took him by the hands and looked up at the smiling face under the mop of curls. “You won’t remember me anymore one day and that will be okay. Your father and Regina they will tell you the stories about what I did and I don’t want you to be sad Roland because I’m doing this so that you can be happy again. I love you and I will always watch over you no matter where you are.” She said as she kissed the top of his head and stood up.

She looked to Robin giving him the current of nods. “I know that she can bring you the happiness which I never could Robin and I know that she will care for Roland just as she has for Henry.” She turned and went back into her tent, leaving her last words handing in the air.

**

Emma watched her son as he sat by the fire taking with Tiger Lily who was nearly blushing as she giggled at whatever he was saying. Emma let out a low grunt.

“You sound like your father.” Killian whispered in her ear.

“When this is all over you are having a conversation with him about… girls” She added hesitantly.

He scoffed. “Why me?”

“Cause you were the pirate of the high seas that all the girls swooned over. You have more experience in this area.”

“Hey you swooned once or twice.” She looked up at him before resting her head on his shoulder.

“I’m still swooning over you.” She whispered. She felt his left hand rest on the small of her back as they watched Henry by the fire from a distance. Three weeks ago everything had been different, not for the worse but just different. Now she was… she felt as if she had matured a decade in the span of days. They both had as they looked at the boy they now referred to as their son, thinking about his future thinking about their other son’s future. Emma suddenly had a long term investments in the world as she was willing to fight tooth and nail for them.

_Is it ours?_

Everything was an our’s now. Henry, the house, the dog, the future. The wind picked up around them, throwing the dead leaves into the air where they danced around, she looked at the camp. The Dunbroch clan was all preparing their weapons, Robin and his family were talking quietly, and Pocahontas was sitting calmly under tree. This was theirs now too, these people who looked up to both of them. Emma looked at Killian and she did not feel the least bit afraid


	19. Day Nineteen: Battle Cry

The sky was nearly pitch black as the long figure stood in the center of the camp. The embers of the fires were still smoking in the wind, their smell wafting into the chilly air as she raised her hands to her lips and let out a birds call. Dried leaves swirled around her as the deep battle cry rang out again and again until the ravens began to fly overhead. They came until the sky was black with flapping wings which soared through the air and dove towards the woman. But as they approached her they came together forming the shape of a woman with a cruel smile.

“What is your name child?” With horns a spouting from her head she looked down at the young woman who had made the call with oddity.

“Pocahontas.”

“Are you a fool Pocahontas?” She hissed. “I am not alone.” She snapped her fingers and two more women appeared, one in spotted fur the other a creature from the sea. “And you are but a mere girl.” She added shaking her head with a fake pout upon her face.

Pocahontas continued to look at her not saying anything not even moving her face as she looked into Maleficent’s eyes. Then from behind her in the trees and arrow came whizzing past Pocahontas skimming so close past her ear that it caused her hair to move in the wind it created. It found its mark in one of Maleficent’s horns.

“I am not alone either.” Pocahontas said coolly as they members of the makeshift refugee camp began to appear from the trees.

Maleficent reached up and pulled the arrow out of her horn with a look of disgust. “FOOLS.” She boomed as she swirled into a cloud of green smoke and emerged rising from it in the shape of a large black dragon. Pocahontas took a step backwards as the archers raised their targets and began to let lose their arrows, but they had little effect on the scales of a dragon.

“Hey.” Came a single lone voice calling out to the dragon. “Over here.” Emma called out as she raised her sword countering the flame which the dragon sent towards it. She had done this once before she told herself, but she also had held and hadn’t been pregnant then. Still all she need to do was keep it occupied long enough for Marian to do her job.

The three red headed triples all had knives in their hands and we’re chasing off Cruella de Vil, keeping her in close range from being able to do anything. Ursula on the other hand was proving to be more of a challenge as she moved in and out of liquid states. Marian had chosen to focus on the sea witch, assuming she would be the easiest target but as Emma watched from a distance she wished that she had chosen a different strategy or at least changed hers.

It was a full out attack on three people but the trios magic made it hard to get any one of them. Even in her dragon form Maleficent still had ravens flying about the camp pecking at people as Killian, Robin and Tiger Lily all batted at them with swords, trying to cut them down but they only dissipated into smoke only to reform.

Merida had joined in helping Marian, the two women jumping at the ever changing pile of water that was Ursula trying to pin it down. Finally out of the corner of her eye, diverting as much attention as she could away from the dragon Emma saw Merida grasp her firmly by the legs while Marian pinned her down across the chest.

“Let go.” Marian said as she turned to look at Merida.

“Are you mad?” Merida yelled at her.

“Just let go” Marian said as she uncorked the bottle holding it up in the air. Merida sprang up and ran as fast as she could pulling her bow up and beginning to sling arrows at anything dark that was moving. Marian hands were shaking as she began to pour the white powder as fast as she could upon Ursula. It was getting all over her hands as she pinned the witch down but she didn’t care. Marian had made her peace with the world and now she was going to get to leave it knowing she had made a difference.

Ursula began to slacken, her body convulsing rapidly until she felt flat against the ground dead. Marian looked up findings Robin’s eye as he charged towards Cruella. She breathed on final sigh as she fell on top of the witch just as Robin dealt a fatal blow to Cruella.

The dragon before Emma’s eyes was gone replaced with the familiar witch once more. The multitude of arrows, each tipped with its archers colors which had been slung at the dragon now stick out of her mortal back as she fell to the earth.

“Emma run.” Killian said right behind her as they all scattered into the woods. It hurt to run and be nearly five months pregnant, but still Emma ran aware that Killian and everyone else was behind her and that miraculous none of them seemed hurt.

She ran towards the road, the dog Scamp ahead of her as if smelled something familiar. “Mom.” Henry called out his voice cracking as he removed the invisibility cloak from both him and Roland and handed it to her. Emma flung it over herself crouching with the little boy close to her chest as she watched her son step out into the middle of the road.

Henry held the dagger in his hand as he stood tall suddenly brave. “Rumpelstiltskin.” He called out into the wind and darkness. “Rumpelstiltskin.” He shouted louder this time standing even firmer upon the pavement. “Rumpelstiltskin I summon thee.” He was yelling.

“Well this is interesting.” Henry turned to see the man behind him. We was leaning heavily upon his stick. Here in this world he always looked like such an outwardly frail man but he never had the voice of someone who was weak. “Come to make a deal Henry?”

Emma felt uncertain as she sank deeper into the grass. She clutched onto Roland as if he were her own son. Henry could do this, she knew that he could but the uncertainty was unbearable.

“I have.” Henry said, his voice was calm and brave. “But not for me.” He looked into the woods and gave a small nod. Killian came forwards and stepped onto the road behind him Robin, Pocahontas, Merida, Tiger Lily and the other occupants of the camp.

Pocahontas took a step forward holding her head high as she began to speak in a low and solemn voice. “You can take us from our lands, but you cannot take our freedom.”

Rumpelstiltskin looked at her snidely “And what do you know, of this world you’ve been brought to. These people here are…” He paused looking at them all. “And how did you get here from Neverland my dear?” he whispered most curious to Tiger Lily.

If the girl was afraid she was not showing it. _Good._ Emma thought, they needed to keep him talking, keep him distracted from what was really happening so he wouldn’t have a moment of clarity to see.

“Don’t worry ‘bout her.” Merida said as she stepped forward her bow raised high towards him. “Worry about what I’ll do to you if you don’t tell how we all got here?”

“Collateral damage.” He whispered. “The second curse that Regina and Snow White enacted took with them a few extra realms. But seeing how none of you were part of the Storybrooke she wanted, you were banished to the bad lands beyond where the light touches.”

“Can we get back?” Pocahontas called after him.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” Rumpelstiltskin smiled curiously as he looked at Killian “I see you got your hand back, you’ll need a new nickname this time, or shall I chop it off again.” He yelled.

Killian shook his head. “This isn’t about me crocodile.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the teacup with the tiny chip and handed it to Henry.

Rumpelstiltskin’s face broke as he saw the cup, one of his most treasured possessions in the hands of the man he considered to be one of his greatest enemies. Then he watched in horror his face twisted and agape as Henry held the cup in one hand and the dagger in the other. “You have to choose.” Henry said loudly. “Between love and magic.”

“Ha” Rumpelstiltskin laughed as he looked at Henry, “Ha” He laughed again. “HA,HA,HA,HA. YOU THINK YOU A SILLY LITTLE BOY CAN PLAY ME LIKE THIS.” He roared into Henry’s face holding back none of his anger. “Because to caannn’t” He cooed after him.

“You can’t have both.” Henry replied indifferently. Emma was impressed at how well her son was handling this. “You tried it didn’t work. The woman you love cast you out of her life because the darkness of your magic was consuming you. You lost her just like you lost your son, you lost everything because you were greedy and wanted magic. Now you have to choose.”

Rumpelstiltskin snickered at him. “And what will you do to convince me?” Henry held up the teacup buy the fragile handle and dropped it a few inches in midair. “NO.” He yelled as Henry caught it.

“One or the other you can’t have both.” Henry replied with childish stubborn in his voice.

Rumpelstiltskin was circling him like a vulture and Emma watcher her son with uneasiness. “And what if I choose to continue to be the Dark One?” He asked with a flourish of his hand.

Henry shrugged. “Then I destroy the cup.”

“But what if I choose love?” The words hung for all to hear as Henry did not reply.

Emma inhaled this was the moment she had warmed him about, Rumpelstiltskin was going to try to make him a deal, one which she hoped her son had enough courage to resist. “I cannot stop being the Dark One unless someone takes my place. And who will that be?” He paused and bend forward into Henry’s face. “Perhaps it is your destiny Henry, after all wickedness runs through our veins does it not?”

Henry was silent as he kept his eyes focused on the horizon in front of him in the very place where he knew past that invisible barrier that the rest of the town was awaiting him, “I still see some good in your Grandfather.” Henry whispered unblinkingly.

“Ah, but you and I come from the same long line of disappointments.” Rumpelstiltskin was saying as he placed around Henry. His voice becoming more and more like that of the Dark One as he continued talking. “My father, myself, your father. You’ll disappoint them Henry just like everyone before you has.”

Henry shook his head. “No I won’t.” He turned and looked at Rumpelstiltskin, consciously meeting him in the eyes for the first time. “Your son may be my biological father, but he did not raise me he never will. He will never shape the man who I will become.”

Gold stepped back, surprise and hurt on his face. “You don’t trick the trickster’s dearie.” He replied aghast.

“If you won’t make a choice then I command you to take down the barrier around Storybrooke.”

Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes but he had no choice he must do as he was commanded by the holder of the dagger. With a wave of his hands the wall fell and standing on the other side front and center just as Emma had planned it was Belle.

“You little-” Rumpelstiltskin began as he turned to look at Henry. His left hand was high up in the air the tea cup dangling from his fingers as he let it go.

Rumpelstiltskin ran with a fervor his hands stretching out in front of him as he cried out “No.” He dived his hands flying upwards as the cup and his hands fell against the pavement. He looked up at Henry who was still holding the knife. He had made his choice.

Emma stood up throwing the cloak off of her and Roland. The little boy ran into his father’s arms as all those who had been in the woods ran into the street. Emma ran toward Killian as she saw her parents and Regina crossing the town line with relief on their faces.

But Henry was still standing there his grandfather at his feet. One with the cup, one with the dagger.

“Henry?” Emma called as she began to run towards him.

“Henry.” Killian was running too.

Regina met Robin’s eyes but yelled it out as well “Henry!”

Henry held the dagger in his hands. For a moment there was no name inscribed upon it. Then he looked up at he faces of Regina, Emma, Killian, Robin, David, Mary Margaret, and Belle all the people than loved him. Then he looked down at Rumpelstiltskin who was looking at him with desperation. “Sometimes love… is magic.” Henry said slowly in a distant voice.

Then he looked at the nameless dagger in his hand. His hand was beginning to glow white hot and Henry could feel the magic flowing through him, not dark magic but something else. The dagger that had for a very long time been a symbol of darkness and evil was beginning to melt in his hands turning back to the elements that it had once been before begin forged for the most sinister of purposes. There would always been a balance of good and dark magic in the world Henry knew that. Some days the good won, other days the other side won.

Rumpelstiltskin was beginning to cry, pounding on the ground as the magic too was leaving his body along with the dagger. “Nooo.” He moaned as he felt it leave him. He looked up at Henry in spite, he looked at Killian his eyes pointed. “Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?” He was panting convulsing as if this was the worst possible thing that had ever happened to him. His hands were tightening in pain around the cup in his hands. He almost looked like he wanted to break it.

The dagger fell to the ground in a pile of sand and metal shavings and Henry took a step forward, back into Storybrooke.

Rumpelstiltskin sat up a real human man for the first time in perhaps a few centuries and he looked at the chipped cup in his hands, he had broken off the handle. He was beginning to cry as he realized not just how he had broken the cup but how he had broken so many lives in the past. Remorse flooded him as another pair of hands took a hold of his.

“Rumpel?” He looked up into beliefs familiar face, she seemed even more beautiful now that he was a real man once again.

“Can….can…you… forgive me.” He stammered he looked into her eyes. “Forgive me.” He cried out to her she was nodding but he didn’t want just her forgiveness. “Forgive me.” He cried out to the world at large fearing he would never be able to say those words enough.

“Henry.” Emma breathed as she hugged her son feeling relief. “I am so, so proud of you.” She said as she pulled back and hugged him.

He was nodding weakly, stunned at himself. “I know.” He added with a cocky smile as he turned to give Killian a hug. “You better make me a man of my word Dad.” He said looking up at him darkly.

“I intend to kid.” Killian replied.

Robin was running towards Regina his heart pounding in his chest as he saw her once more. She was crying too as she ran towards him kissing him. “Marian?” She whispered into his ear and he shook his head.

She bent down to look at Roland who seemed confused if anything about what had taken place. “Hi Roland.” She said as she swooped him up in his arms. “I missed you so much.” She said as she patted the boy on the back of his head kissing Robin once more.

“Scramp.” He called out as the dog barked up at him.

Regina looked down at the stray dog with hesitation. “The kid just lost his mom the dog is part of the package.” Emma dead panned in her ear.

She turned to face Emma hugging her one handed “I can’t thank you enough.” She breathed feeling as if when all the evil magic had left Rumpelstiltskin it had left her as well.

Emma smiled as Killian came up again behind her. Somewhere David and Mary Margaret were pushing through the crowd of newcomers to meet her daughter. “Give me a few days of solid sleep and we’ll get to work on our author problem.” Regina nodded even though that seemed to be the worst of her problems.

Her parents wanted to throw a party at the dinner, but all Emma begged them to let her go home and sleep. Home smelled different when she entered the doors for the first time in a week, a little staler a little more salty. She and Killian managed to make it downstairs and onto the bed but no under it until the both fell asleep in one another’s arms.


	20. Day Twenty: Formalities

A dog was barking. “Uhhh.” Emma moaned. “You do it, I fought a dragon yesterday.”

Her moan was equally matched by his. “Henry placed all paternal responsibilities to make him turn out normal on meeeee.”

She opened her eyes and looked into his. “Fair enough. So we both get up?”

“Aye.”

She sat up and laughed as she looked at him. His hair was a mess and he was beginning to grow a beard after not shaving in a week. Somehow that had slipped her mind, but she figured she looked equally as bad too. “I think Robin was factored into that statement.” She muttered

Killian rolled his eyes. “He wasn’t looking at Robin when he said it.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Dog.” She said point at herself. “Shower.” She said point at him. Admiring him as he rolled off the bed and began to strip from the clothes which he had worn for a week. She was going to need to burn them ceremonially outside. She placed her feet on the floor and tried to stand, falling back down to the bed immediately. “Oh god.” She squeaked.

He came running into the room topless and suddenly she felt pleasantly light headed. “What?” He asked with concern.

“Nothing I just think my circumference expanded by about five inches during the night.” She muttered as she stood up again and began to shuffle out into the living room where Lady was barking pleasantly. She grabbed the box of dog food off the counter, glad it was a small enough dog which could not jump that high, however she couldn’t really see it as it danced around the edges of her feet. “I really hope I don’t step on you Lady.” She muttered as she bent down slowly to place food in the dog bowl.

“Henry.” She called out from the bottom of the stairs. She didn’t know where he had chosen to spend the night last night, he had a key to the house but she knew that neither of them would have heard him enter the house. She climbed the stairs also noting that he was probably too sound asleep to be woken up by the dog. “Henry.” She muttered gently as she pushed open his bedroom door and entered into the room. She sat down onto his bed next to the visible lump which was Henry. “Hey kid wake up.” She looked at the alarm clock by his bed it was nearly nine.

“Do I have to go to school today?”

Emma sighed. “Not according to this mother.”

“Yes.” He said unenthusiastically “Do heroics always wipe you out this much?” He asked as he sat up in bed and looked at his mother.

She nodded. “From my experience they do.” She paused running a concerned hand over his forehead. “How do you feel?”

He looked at his hands and back to her. “Normal I think. But I don’t know that was pretty freaky yesterday.” She shrugged that seemed to always be the case with how life was here. “Are you going to go to the hospital today?”

She looked down at her stomach placing a hand on it gently as the child moved around. “Yeah I need to call and see when I can go in.”

He smiled. “Are you going to find out if it is a boy or a girl?”

She didn’t know. They had asked her that two days ago, she had told them no because Killian wasn’t there but now that he was. He had a name picked out if it was a boy. She didn’t know if she wanted to see his hopes dashed or fulfilled. “I’ll have to ask Killian what he wants to do.” She made a mental note that they also needed to do something about the nursery and-

“And get married.” Henry said calmly

“What?” She snapped at him and he looked at her just as surprised as she was.

“Oh uh, everyone from outside they think you are already married to Da-Kil.” He paused shaking his head. “Dad.” He decided. “They think you are already married to Dad.”

“Henry.” She scoffed, though she had been thinking it as well. Part of her could not wait until she saw the look on David’s face when someone referred to Killian as a prince. “This is not how it planned on looking when I ever got married.”

“Life never happens like how you plan it.” Henry replied.

“We’ll if you’re just going to be annoyingly philosophical I’m not making you breakfast.” Emma replied sleepily ruffling his hair as she slowly stood. And made her way downstairs. She laid back down on the bed listing to the water running waiting until she felt his body lay down next to hers.

“Em.” He whispered.

“City Hall.” She muttered back at him meeting his eyes. “We need to go to City Hall and get married by my mother the mayor.” He let out a large sigh. “Do you think that there is a form we can sign as a formality and say we would just like to be retroactively be married?”

He sighed, taking a hold of her right hand with his left. He looked at her. She looked tired not at her best he had seen her on better days and he had seen her on worse.

“A long time ago.” He whispered “I told Neal that I would step aside and let him have a chance with you because I was in it for the long haul.”

She let out a giddy laugh. “Well you certainly are now mister.” She said resting his hand on top of her stomach.

He rubbed it gently, perfectly content but he still couldn’t help wondering. “Do you think that we still would have ended up here if he hadn’t died?”

Emma nodded. “Obviously not under the same circumstances, but yeah I think we would have ended up together. Married with a kid and house and a dog and fighting off dragons. Yeah we were always going to get here in the end.”

He smiled next to her as they listened to Henry move about in his room above. “I’m going to be a prince.” He scoffed, never thinking he would see the day when that happened. She snorted next to him. “Whhaat?”

“Theoretically you could be a King.” Her chest was shaking from laughter.

“You’re parents are the same age as you.”

“Oh I can see them abdicating. When they are like fifty. My dad will be like….” She scrunched up her face and talked in a silly voice. “Emma we have ruled this land for long enough, now it is your turn. Because we’re are fifty and your brother’s going off to college and want to retire in Florida.”

He elbowed her gently in the side. “Your dad is not going to sound like that when he is fifty.”

“You don’t know.” She gasped. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

He sighed next to her, he had missed the goofiness that they had had before all the craziness with the baby had happened. “I’m older than your dad, by a lot.”

“Don’t ever mention that to him. I don’t think he wants to know that his son in law has lived longer than he has.

He looked at her, taking her and hand once more. “We should get married.” He replied in all seriousness.

She looked up at the ceiling her one son move up above her and another move within her. She had never dreamed of her wedding when she was a little girl. She had never acted it out with dolls, she had never had a dream dress. But she bet her mother or her father did. This wasn’t how they imagined her life to be, but here it was. She was glad that they at least supported it, but then Emma knew that she too would support her own children’s decisions as they grew up as well.

“Okay then.” Emma said as she sat up. “Doctor’s appointment at eleven, City Hall wedding at three.” She kissed him and got up to take a shower and get ready for the day.

**

She looked at the image on the sonogram screen trying to determine if it was a boy or a girl, it was definably a human baby but beyond that she could not tell. Still if felt extra strange to not only have an extreme attachment to the child inside her but to also know that it would be coming incredibly fast.

“If this was a normal pregnancy.” Emma began “How far along would you say I was?”

“About twenty five, twenty six weeks.”

“Twenty six weeks.” Emma repeated appalled. “I though you said that this was going to be a whole 1 day is 1 week sort of deal.”

“Emma I said 1 day is _more_ than one week. You’ll likely been meeting your child within less than a fortnight.”

Emma gulped she had only assumed that she was at the halfway point not past it. The doctor left and she looked at Killian he seemed a little surprised as well. “We are not prepared” He muttered

“No we are not.”

“I had lists, I wrote them all up and I had them of all the things that we needed to do.”

She was trying to remember ever seeing any lists. “The ones on your kitchen table back at your apartment?”

“Yeah I don’t know where they went when we moved.”

She blinked at him stunned at he had been preparing for this since day two when she had only been really ready to accept it since about Tuesday. A random thought crossed into her mind, she seemed to be having many of those today with the stress of the town being cut off from the rest of the world. “Do you happen to have any British…naval…uniforms…just lying around?” she whispered.

“No why do you ask?”

“It’s just when he British monarchy marry the man always wears his uniform, plus I was hoping for a whole officer and a gentleman situation later this evening. But that’s okay.”

“Emma are you sure you’re all right? You seem to be losing brain cells.” He asked sarcastically.

She nodded at him as she smiled. “Yeah I’m fine. I’ll see you at three, you have to get Regina, Robin and Roland to come. I’ll ask my dad?”

He paused his mouth open in thought. “Are you going to tell him it’s a wedding?”

“No.” She replied with a shake of her head.

“Emma.” She could hear the stress in his voice.

“He’s going to insist that it be in a cathedral in front of the whole town. That I somehow miraculous fit into my mother’s wedding dress, that there are herald trumpets and minstrels and it is a huge deal and we don’t need that. We just need the paper that makes it official because we have everything else already.”

“Fine.” He whispered leaning into her. He was going to walk home. “But when we hear about this until the day your father does abdicate the throne, it’s all your fault.”

“Love you too.” Emma said as she pecked him on the nose grabbing her car keys and they left each going in a different direction.

**

“Hey Dad.” Emma said as she walked into the sheriff’s station, she must have mentioned something the night before about hiring Pocahontas to be the deputy since she was sitting in uniform when she arrived. “I’m going to be out of the office most of the day, making sure all the new comer are adjusting. But I need you to come and meet me at City Hall at three can you do that for me.”

She leaned over her desk her large figure more intimidating than the look on her face. “Sure why?” He asked leaning back in his chair.

She thought up of something quick “Now that city is theoretically open to have anyone come in, I thought it would best if we double checked all the records. Made sure that people legally owned their homes, that nobody as too suspicious of a name that sort of thing.”

“Sure, I’ll see you then.” She nodded begging to walk away. “And Emma, it’s good to have you back.” She turned and smiled at him, her smile fading as she realized that it was now past noon and she still had much left to do.

The opened the door to the dinner only to be given a round of applause. She felt her hands raise in the air almost as if she was non-guilty waving at them all as she saddled up to Ruby at the counter.

“Wow.” Ruby said impolitely as she looked at Emma. “You look like amazing. What can I get you?” She said catching herself.

“I need your help?” Emma said and she watched as the wolf’s eyebrows raised

“Help with what?”

“Clothes.” Emma said with a small whisper.

She could tell immediately that Ruby was interested. “This is the lunch hour can it wait.” She pointed her thumb clearly at Granny Lucas.

Emma cleared her throat “Granny Lucas I need to borrow Ruby for some official Sheriffs business she’ll be back in about an hour.” She said as she took her by the hand watching as the young woman undid her apron with one hand.

“What has gotten into you Emma?” Ruby muttered and Emma herself as the question as she tore off down with her along the main street.

Ten minutes later Emma was near tears. Ruby rubbing her hand up and down her back. “Emma I don’t know what you are looking for. Unless we go and drive to a mall,”

“We don’t have time for that.” Emma cried out

“Then I don’t think that you are going to have many options other than making something.” Ruby whispered calmly.

“I don’t know how to sew.”

Ruby laughed. “You do remember you have magic right?” She said as she steered her towards the fabric shop. Emma hugged her tightly as she told her to go back to the dinner as she walked up and down the aisles of the store looking for the right thing. Something that stretched, she was growing by the minute now, but something that also was simple. She found the right kind of fabric but then stood their contemplating colors. White was out, but there was still a dozen different choices.

Black, blue, pink, purple she could wear a whole rainbow and it still wouldn’t fell like it was really her beneath the thing. But red caught her eye. She had worn a red dress to her first ball, she had some good memories of that event. She grabbed it, bought the entire bolt and then spent forty minutes in front of a mirror home before she finally made the right dress.

Emma smiled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. This long red dress didn’t pinch or flare out like the other one had it also didn’t but deep across her neck line. It flowed down gently the soft fabric stretching across her lightly. The V neckline was modest, thought probably more revealing than her father would have enjoyed. She had made it sleeveless and she slipped a leather jacket on over her shoulders. She looked in the mirror, now she looked like herself.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Your chariot awaits.” Henry said as he poked his head into the room. He was wearing a grey suit and looking a little more grown up than she would have enjoyed seeing him. She looked at the clock it was 2:30 and she hadn’t even managed to do her hair or her make up or…

“It’s not an actually chariot Emma.” Regina muttered as she entered the room and sat her down beginning to put on her make up, “But you can’t exactly drive yourself to your own wedding now can you.” She conjured a mirror to show her what she had done to her face.

Emma nodded in agreement as she began on her hair. “It won’t be too long before it is you.” She muttered under her breath so that Henry could not hear.

Regina pulled at her hair. “Shut it.” She breathed contently “Yeah I guess you’re right.” She added and Emma saw her smile in the mirror as her hair fell down into soft curls around her face.

It had never seemed to have taken so long to get to city Hall in all of her life, Emma thought as she watched the town pass by from the back seat of Regina’s car. She closed her eyes not wanting to look out, it was just a piece of paper that was all it was. She didn’t need it to be a big moment, she didn’t need there to be trumpets blaring, but in her head there already was. She was getting married, she had never thought about what this day would be like because she had never imagined it happening. She thought about Henry and her other child as well, she had never imagined any of those happening either.

Even though the word seemed to have gotten out about the ceremony thankfully the only people she found inside city Hall were the only ones who mattered. Robin and Roland both in suits giving her a small wave as they followed Regina inside. Emma smiled knowing that on the other side of the door was her mother’s office and more importantly Killian.

She took a deep breath as she looked at Henry and her father. David was beaming as he handed her a bouquet of red and white roses. “Couldn’t fool you could I?” Emma said with a smile as she took them.

Henry let out a giggle. “One more thing,” David began, “Promise you won’t complain because…”He was choking back tears. “Just do one thing the way I dreamed it would happen.” He stammered as he pulled out a small and simple gold tiara from behind his back.

Emma looked at, not remembering if she had ever worn one in all her life. She didn’t say anything but simply nodded as he placed it on her head. “Walk me down the aisle?” She asked both of them in front of her. They nodded moving to stand on either side as Henry opened the door.

The scent of flowers was nearly overwhelming as she saw that the converted nearly every single surface covered in either flowers or candles she looked around quickly but then something else caught her eye entirely.

He was wearing a uniform, and old uniform with the silly white pants which puffed out and the long blue coat with the medals. Emma felt her head peal back with laughter as she approached the front of the office where Killian and her mother were both standing. She felt a small tug as she realized she was at the front of the room already and Henry and her father were pulling away from her.

She gave Henry a small hug and he stood next to her beaming. Then she turned to look at her father who was fully crying. “It’s okay Dad.” She whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.

“I know.” He said as he pulled back away from her. “Congratulations.” He whispered as he pulled away.

Emma took a step forward looking at all the people in the room. How different it had been from her parents wedding. Sure Regina was there, but she was smiling happily as she held onto Neal leaning gently into Robin with no intention of cursing anyone. It was small and private even though she could practically feel the crowd growing outside of City Hall. She looked at her mother and her father, who both seemed so giddy, and Henry who was bursting with pride as seeing his whole family happy.

“You look beautiful Emma.” Killian whispered as he took her hand.

“So do you.” She replied. “Where did you get the outfit?”

“Regina worked her magic.” He replied in a small whispered as Mary Margaret cleared her throat. Emma looked around the room wondering how much if this was due to Regina’s magic.

Mary Margaret cleared her throat once again “We are gathered here today to celebrate the wedding of my daughter Emma Swan to Captain Killian Jones.” She paused taking a moment to collect herself. “Everyone in this room as been just as surprised to see this relationship develop over time, but I don’t think that any of us can deny that the two of you are… meant for one another. And since there are no objections to this marriage I think we should keep this short and sweet. So vows.”

Emma felt her neck tense. “We didn’t think about that?” She muttered to the room at large.

“Just speak from your heart Mom.” Henry shouted out.

Emma took a breath and did as her son told her. “I hated you when I met you.” The room laughed. “I did you were cocky and condescending and yet I kept standing up for you and saving your life and I didn’t know why until recently. Then I took a step back and I realized that maybe in the beginning you were a jerk for about three weeks but then after that all you had ever treated me with was kindness. You gave up everything you ever had, everything that ever defined the man who you had been for so long because you loved me.

“We both know how hard it was for each of us to fall in love again. But when we fell, man did we fall together. Jumped more like it, jump off a cliff and never looked back. I want to spend the rest of my life jumping with you. I want the dull days and angry days, I want the sad days I want the good days because we’ll be together and together we are stronger than we ever were apart.”

He gave her a small nod, wanting to kiss her again but knowing now was not the time.

“Remember when I told you my secret on Neverland that the kiss we shared meant something to me, because for the first time I knew I was beginning to love you.” She nodded. “I have another secret Emma. Ever since I came here and I met you, ever since I lost my ship and my hook and my heart. When I first came here I thought that I was lost too. Because I didn’t know how to spend the rest of my days if it was not in search of revenge.

“But I know now that I have the rest of my days to spend with you, with Henry with all the other children we have. And when I die, hopefully at the same time you do, I’ll be ready because I will have lived more of a life in the next however many decades with you than I ever have in the past. I love you Emma I have for ages, almost since I first saw you. I waited patiently for you, and even though nothing is according to plan I could not be happier. Because you and me… we’ll fit together for the rest of our lives.”

Emma leaned forward and kissed him slightly as Mary Margaret dabbed at her eyes. “The rings.” She squeaked.

Emma and Killian laughed, each of them showing her the left hands which had worn rings on them for over a week. “Mom we already have…”

There was a tap on her shoulder and she turned to see David holding out two thin bands that looked like rope and vines entwined. “Something new for a new relationship.”

Emma nodded unable to speak as she took them and handed one to Killian. “Repeat after me. I Emma Swan.”

“I Emma Swan.”

“Take thee Killian Jones.”

“Take thee Killian Jones.”

“To have and to hold, through curses and storms, in this realm or the next, for the rest of my life.”

“To have and to hold, through curses and storms, in this realm or the next, for the rest of my life.”

“I Killian Jones.”

“I Killian Jones

“Take thee Emma Swan.”

“Take thee Emma Swan.”

“To have and to hold, through curses and storms, in this realm or the next, for the rest of my life.”

 “To have and to hold, through curses and storms, in this realm or the next, for the rest of my life.”

“Then I Mary Margaret Nolan, Queen of the Enchanted Forest through the power invested in me by land I rule and the state of Maine pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss.”

Killian took her by both of his hands and kissed her pulling her in closer until he dipped her down in front of the small but hooting crowd. “What was that other thing you wanted me to do Mrs. Swan.” He whispered in her ear.

“Just carry me out of the room Mr. Swan and we’ll be good.” She muttered as she felt his legs wrap around her knees as he hoisted her up into a bridal hold and carried her back down the aisle. He set her down outside and Emma turned around, grinning from ear to ear as she looked back at her family. “I am correct in assuming the entire town is standing outside right?”

Henry nodded guilty as charged.

“Well then.” Killian said as he kissed her once more. “Let the party begin.”

**

The music was loud, impossibly loud and wild as Emma watched those dancing. The lights swung gently from the rafters as the barn filled with laughter. How someone had planned this all Emma did not know, but she appreciated the gesture. It was a wedding reception, but it was also more, a victory party of sorts for the whole town itself.

She looked out at the crowd, at the wild ruckus before her. She had done her dancing, both fast and slow for the night but now she was sitting at a table, resting her feet as she looked out at the happy crowd a permanent smile on her face.

She was happy and she didn’t know who cared. There was nothing left of consequence to worry about and that was an absolutely thrilling feel to Emma as she sat on her wedding day content with the world around her.

She watched the crowd as the long red mane of Merida came closer, her mouth open in awe as she looked upon Snow White. “It is an honor to meet Snow White.” She said bowing slightly.

“Thank you.” Mary Margaret replied, somewhat taken a back.

“When I was a little girl, growing up in the Highlands north of your forests. You were an inspiration to me.”

Mary Margaret nodded, her face beginning to turn as red as Merida’s. “Will you be trying to get back home then?”

She young woman shrugged. “Perhaps if we a find a way I will. But if not….” She paused looking to Emma with a small smile. “Who was that girl you said I should meet?”

Emma let out a hesitant chuckled. “She doesn’t actually live in this realm.”

“Oh.” Merida muttered her face falling. “Well then I guess we’ll see what happens then.”

Her mother waited until the girl had disappeared before she turned towards Emma whispering. “Who are you trying to set her up with?”

“Mulan.”

Mary Margaret leaned back a smile on her face. “Oh yeah, that could work.” Emma laughed as she turned back to look out at the dancing crowd. She wanted to remember this moment forever.

Whiskey and rum were being heavily poured as Fergus, Robin and Killian stood by the bar. The three men drunk in rowdy exuberance as they looked out across the hall. “To the future.” Fergus boomed as they all took another drink.

Killian looked out across the room to Emma sitting in her red dress and black leather jacket a tiara upon her head a strange juxtaposition. He had never imagined that he would become an honorable man once more, let alone that we would marry. Yet now as the bliss was settling over him as he watched her smile from afar he knew it was more than the alcohol which was warming his heart.

Her tiara was catching on the light, reflecting in bright golden patched on the wall behind her like fairy lights. There had always been warnings, old tales from sailors about staying away from the royal sorts. He could understand them in a way, but the princess who was the object of his affections was very different from any other he had ever met. Still he was trying to remember the daughter of a pirate and a princess whom he had met once and the ridiculous nickname she had been bestowed with.

“I remember my own wedding.” Robin mused his face was beginning to turn flushed as he took another sip of alcohol. “A rather less well attended occasion.” Killian looked at him. Robin was something of a mystery to him, his calmness and acceptance of what had happened in the past week not helping in his understanding of him. But then, he assumed the man had grieved for Marian a very long time ago already, and losing her for a third and final time was nothing new.

Robin turned to Fergus. “What about your wedding?”

“I don’t remember much of my wedding.” Fergus said out of the corner of his mouth.

“That’s because you had a little too much whiskey.” Elinor replied as she slipped under her husband’s arm and took the bottle away from him. “You don’t remember much of that first week of marriage actually.”

He was waving his arms in protests but she was dodging all around him. “Oh Elinor.”

She looked at him sternly. “You’ll already insured that he’ll have one hell of a headache in the morning, at least let the poor man remember his own wedding night.” She snapped as she began to herd him away to a corner of the room as if she was a sheep dog.

Kilian and Robin looked on with grins on their faces, wondering if that was possibly what their future would look like, but they said nothing as they moved away from one another. He made his way back to Emma, back to his wife. She looked up at him with a content smile as he reached out and took her hand.

“One last dance before we retire my dear?” he asked her with a small bow.

She nodded attempting to be solemn. “As you wish.” She replied as she stood.

Their first dance had been nothing like this, careful and calculated steps, Emma silently enjoying herself as she spun about the room in that huge red dress. This time they clunked about, holding one another close as they didn’t care about the time signature or what everyone else was doing, or the silly outfits they were wearing. There was only them in that moment and it was perfect.


	21. Day Twenty One: Northerly

Emma laughed as she woke up in the morning and saw her husband’s face. “Ha, you’re hangover.” She laughed

He raised his eyebrow at her. “Ha, you can’t drink at all, period.”

“Touché” She replied as she stood up slowly from the bed. It was a Saturday. Last Saturday she had woken up in a small tent outside of Storybrooke today she had woken up a married woman.

In any other relationship today would be their honeymoon but with the impending birth of their child there had been a silent agreement that such an event would be put on hold until a later day. She didn’t mind as she got up and prepared for the day as a married woman. Nothing seemed different at all, and that was perfectly okay with her.

“Where are you going?” Killian asked as he saw her pull over one of Mary Margaret’s winter coats on. It was beginning to snow outside.

“Into work.” Emma replied warmly “I didn’t actually get any work done yesterday and I asked my Dad to hire Pocahontas so I need to show her around town.”

“Oh okay.” He replied with his face somewhat fallen.

“What?” Emma groaned.

“It’s just…” He began “This is the first time in years you have been able to leave this town and see the rest of what is around it. Don’t you want to see what is out there?”

Emma looked at his excited face. She understood where he was coming from, but she had spent her whole life in this realm. And besides she wasn’t feeling up to a drive through the Maine snow when she was incredibly pregnant. “I will be back by noon.” She said giving him a soft kiss. “And if you are feeling up to it, we will go see what is out there.” She added.

**

Pocahontas was waiting for her outside of the station, wrapped up in a large wool coat, her sheriffs uniform on underneath. She gave Emma a smile as she pulled up. “Congratulations.” She young woman said.

“Thanks.” Emma replied as she unlocked the doors and turned on the lights. She felt strange walking into station once again, she had been here yesterday, but yesterday was a blur and now she felt as if she was racing against time to get everything done before she gave birth, twenty one days ago that reality seemed impossible now as she maneuvers with difficulty it did not.

She showed her the computers gave her and began showing her to use them, by the time she looked up at the clock it was after eleven. She reached across the desk and showed the other woman the forms which she had managed to come up with in the little time she worked yesterday.

“It’s only going to be a matter of time before people either start coming into the city or leaving. Because of that we need to make everyone is properly documented with identification cards and other things in case people get suspicious. We may all know that we come from different realms but to the other word our home are myths and legends. I need you to have everyone fill this out, even if they have lived her since the first curse. The name they want to be known as, age, occupation, birthrate, general physical description. Once you get all that put it in the computer, and next week we will get around to making documents.”

She nodded and Emma felt released. The real world was coming and Emma felt they were all finally ready to learn about the world which she had come from.

Killian was waiting outside for her when she arrived. He hopped into the car as she unlocked it a look of excitement on his face. They drove out past the town line and Emma stopped as reached the interstate. It had been years since she had gone this far she looked knowing south would take them to Boston.

“Which way?” She said as she looked at him with a small smile.

“What’s south.” He said as he looked at the two choices, Route 1 N, Route 1 S.

“Boston, New York. Big cities” She replied.

“And north.”

Emma shook her head. “Canada eventually. That’s a whole different country, but I don’t know.”

He looked at her and smiled. “The wind blows northerly then.”

She turned right, knowing that was what he was going to say as she turned up the radio and began heading up the winding coastline. The pine trees were thick, as the road hugged close to the rocky terrain. A few miles of dense forest and then a sudden clearing as a bay came into view, the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crashing into rocks as birds flew up above.

The continued driving through Portland and the other towns along the coastline always relishing the beauty in the wilderness between towns. It could all look so different the tiny lighthouses, the large lighthouses. The beaches line with sea grass and the ones lined with rocks, and all the little shops boarded up for the winter. They would have to come back in the summer, when the weather was warm and the water hospitable once more.

“Emma you’re humming.”  Killian whispered as he looked out along the coast.

“Oh.” She muttered not even realizing that she had been doing it. It had been the song on the radio, something instinctual which she could not help herself from doing. The man on the radio was singing. _Sweet Caroline._ “Ba, ba, bah.” Emma added.

“What are you doing that for?” Killian said as he turned down the volume.

“I don’t know. It’s just what you do when you hear that song. It’s slightly before my time.” She said with a smile. He laughed but he turned up the volume as she continued to sing along with the song as they drove up the highway. 

There was a comfort in neither of them knowing what each new turn in the road would bring. They drove pulling over to the side of the road when one of them desired. They pulled over at small shops when they felt the desire to do so, the impulsivity freeing. She had never known that Maine had so many islands, or state parks. That its coastlines were flush with fir trees and the occasional sandy beach. After three hours of widening northerly they turned around, the world darkening around them as they made their way back to Storybrooke.

**

It was dark when they returned home and Emma felt her phone vibrating in her coat pocket as they parked the car in the driveway.

“You’re house or mine.” A shrill voice called out on the other line.

She pulled the phone back to see who was calling. “Mom what are you talking about?” She replied calmly.

“Family dinner tomorrow. You’re house or mine?”

“Mine.” Emma blabber without thinking, regretting the decision the second after she said it.

She could hear the smile over the phone. “Do you think we should invite Regina? I mean she is technically part of the family in more way than one.”

“I’ll ask her Mom, but I can’t guaranteed and answer.” Emma said as she hanged up the phone.

Killian looked at her with a small smile. “What was that?”

“Can you cook anything, because pasta is about all I can managed and us hosting family dinner tomorrow night?”

He kissed her gently on the neck as he opened the front door for her. “Not unless they want Rum and more Rum.”

“Then spaghetti it is.” Emma replied she paused standing in the dark living room. “Something is not right.” She whispered as she grasped in the dark for the light switch.

“Surprise.” Came a chorus of cries as people jumped up and down in the living room which was colored in a bright array of pastel colors. It was a baby shower.

She turned and looked at Killian. “Did you know about this?” But his surprised and confused look told her that he clearly did not. She turned back to the party crowd, as her mother can forward and took her hand sitting her down on the couch. The room was decorated in shades of yellow, little rubber ducks scattered everywhere. “Aren’t we all partied out?” Emma breathed as she looked over at the large stack of presents which was sitting on a table.

She was overwhelmed, with all the sights and the sounds the loud talking and the mentions of name games. She had never done this before, it was hitting her hard as she sat there watching everything move around her. She had given birth to a child, she had raised a ten year old but she had done none of the things in between.

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Aurora was asking her. They were handing her presents of clothes and toys and books and things she didn’t even know she needed.

“We don’t want to know.” Emma stammered.

“Well what theme is the nursery?” Cinderella was asking here.

“We haven’t done that yet.” Emma was saying.

Both women gasped. “You haven’t.”

There hadn’t been time, she had spent nearly a week in the woods saving the town once more. Emma stood up flustered making some excuse to leave. Her head was spinning the air around her becoming hard to breathe. She walked down the stairs looking at the den area and the kitchen. She could still hear the sounds of the party above.

“Emma.” Killian was right behind her. She turned and looked at him her head shaking rapidly as she felt the panic rise with in her. He took her by the hand, pulling open the glass door and leading her out into the cold air, sitting her down in a chair as the floodlights came on.

She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath aware of him bending down in front of her. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at her husband. “I don’t know how to do this.” She hyperventilated. “I don’t know how to care for an infant. I gave Henry up because I didn’t know what to do. I don’t… I didn’t…”

His arms wrapped around her and pulled her in close to his body, stroking her hair as she slowly began to calm down. “We’re jumping together, remember?” he said echoing her vows from yesterday. “I don’t know how to do this either Emma, but you’re not alone, you’re never going to be alone anymore.” he whispered into her ear.

She pulled away looking at the lights above. “They’re judging us up there.”

He laughed. “The pirate and princess they will be wondering if we are mad. But you know what, we just saved all their asses, and I don’t give a damn what they think, do you?” She shook her head. “And hey you’ve done some of this before. You’ve helped with your brother.”

She let him brush away the tears. “Yeah you’re right.”

“This is an insane ritual.” He laughed.

“Oh it is.” She agreed. “But free gifts.” She leaned in and kissed him. “Once more into the breach.” She added as he helped her up, and together they went in to face the madness.


	22. Day Twenty Two: Sunday Night Dinner

It was minor chaos Emma told herself, minor. “Roland Loxley.” Regina screamed out as the little boy reached out and pulled on Lady’s tail.  The dog turned and snarled at him and Regina swooped in to pick him up. He thought it was funny, nobody else did though. Dinner was over and they were all still sitting around the table laughing talking being big normal crazy family.

It was chaos Emma noted, but that from her limited experience, was what it was like having a family.

“So Robin,” David said as he leaned back. “Ever thought of joining the sheriff’s office?”

“Dad are you that desperate to replace me.” Emma called out.

“Hey it was your idea to hire Pocahontas, and besides you’re going to be out for a few weeks I need all the help I can get if we are going to have to face the real world.”

The real world, they were all acting like to be going to be the biggest thing they ever possibly face. Perhaps to them it was, a whole new realm worth of people and customs that they did not know. These were rules which were not going to change, Storybrooke and its inhabitants were part of this world for good now and they would have to get used to it.

Robin gave him a smile. “You really think that after all these years of avoiding the law I would become part of it.” He smirked. “But for a man like you and your daughter I think I would like that very much David.”

David smiled knowingly satisfied with his plan. Henry cleared his throat and looked at Regina. “It’s getting late and I have school in the morning.”

She smiled. “You know Emma we were talking about kind of doing a whole week on week off thing with Henry if that is alright with you.”

“Yeah of course it is. We can switch off on Sunday nights that makes perfect sense.”

Henry gave a small smile. “So I guess I should be with mom then.” He pointed at Regina “Since I spent most of last week with mom and dad.”

Regina opened her mouth widely. “Actually it might be better for you if you spend this week with them, since next week they are pretty much guaranteed to a have screaming infant who will keep you up.”

Henry nodded. “Good point. But my stuff is all at your house.”

“I think you have enough to make it through the night here. And I can bring over some more things tomorrow if you need them.”

Emma looked at him and smiled, then she looked at the stack of dished piling on the table. “Since I made the dinner I say the men have to clean up.”

Killian gave her a kiss and wordless followed began to take dishes to the sink, Robin and David following him. Mary Margaret stood as well, taking Neal with her as she pulled out a touch and feel book from her bag and began to read to him. Henry stood indicating that Roland should follow him up to his room. Regina and Emma were the only ones left at the large wooden table.

“I actually had a question for you.” Regina said as she leaned across the table. “Now that you are back I was wondering if of wanted to come out to that mansion with me sometime this week.”

Emma sighed at her. “You got what you wanted Regina, what more do you need?”

“Answers. This may be our last chance to find out about the owner of that house. According to Gold it belongs to a powerful wizard, we should know who that it is.

“I’ll go with you tomorrow.” Emma replied with a smile.

“Really.” Regina seemed surprised that she was so easily swayed.

“Yeah I am booking all my events early in the week to make sure they actually happen.” Emma laughed.

Regina seemed relieved. “Then I will see you tomorrow Emma.”

**

After everyone had gone away she sat back down to table and watched with curiosity as Killian pulled out a small box and scattered its contents on the table. Dozens of sheets of paper the lists that he had made all those weeks ago. He sat down next to her and began to call them out, putting them into piles.

“Get a house.” Done pile. Also included in the done pile: get married, get engaged, move in together,

“Baby room.” Emma looked at him with raised brows beginning a need to be done immediately pile...

“Adopt Henry.” She felt touched as she looked at him with her mouth hanging open. “What?” He asked gently.

“I don’t know if you can, legally I mean. We need to look into that, all four of us actually.” Emma said with her brow furrowed. “Regina is legally his mother because she adopted him, I think I forfeited all legal control when I gave him up. But I don’t know what would happen if you and Robin tried to become his legal guardians. Put that in the later pile we’d have to figure that out with a judge.”

“Get a pet.” He called out.

“I’m surprised that was on the list, but done.”

“Get a boat.”

Emma shrugged. “Go ahead and do that tomorrow.”

He looked hurt. “You don’t want to help?”

“Would I be a help? Next.”

“A name for the baby, done.”

“Wait what if it is a girl.”

Killian shook his head. “It’s not going to be a girl. It’s a boy James David Swan. Done.” She rolled his eyes hoping to prove him wrong. But time would tell. He paused going through the lists. “Are you okay?”

She turned and smiled at him. “Yeah I think I am.” And she meant it. “Continue on.”

“Jobs.” She looked at him with a small head tilt. “I need a job, and don’t offer me a job in the sheriff’s office that is not happening Emma.”

“What the harbor. There are ships, you’ve always been a sailor why be anything else?”

A shadow fell across his face. “I’m not going to sail away for long periods of time and miss the life of our children Emma.”

She sighed her brow wrinkling “Then what will you do?”

“I could manage the docks, I could navigate ways, I could be in charge of what came in and out. But…”

“You’ve come to enjoy the feeling of land beneath your feet?” He laughed but was otherwise speechless. “Killian what is it?”

He looked at her unsure of how to tell her that he may never feel the desire to sail the seas ever again, at least not for a very long while. He had known the men both in his military days and in his days of freelance who had left a separate world on the shores behind them. They had women who they had left back in England, back in some distant port town. They would write, they would visit every few years but their hearts remained devoted to the seas. They would bear sons and daughters they may see in their entire lifetime. That was not the life he wanted to live. He could not bear the thought of Emma standing on widow’s walk looking out over the sea dreading he would never return. He could not bear missing the lives of Henry and his other future children. He had finally found something which eclipsed his first great love of the ocean its self.

“Fine.” She muttered, happy with him not explain himself as she took the piece of paper and placed it in a pile, picking up another. “What does that say I can’t read it?” she asked leaning into him.

He was stirred by her breath upon his shoulder. “Future.”

“As in plan the future?” Emma laughed. They could plan all they wanted, but they both knew that fate would end up changing it anyways. They had their loyalties and their strengths, and they had each other. “I say… come what may, we have each other.” Emma said with a small smile.


	23. Day Twenty Three: Never Tell the Same Story Twice

Emma watched Regina move around the mansion in desperation. She could understand her desire for answers. It was what she had been searching for years. But Emma felt only desolation as she watched the woman walk through the house expecting hope at every turn and only finding disappointment.

Emma didn’t know how she could help. She didn’t know what Regina was looking for as she searched each room twice over. She might have had magic but Regina had more years of experience and she was more accustomed to the types of things she was looking for. Emma followed behind her silently out of respect behind her, she had skills in finding people perhaps those could help. If not she was just moral support for the woman who had become her friend.

Regina was aware of how useless Emma felt. But she also didn’t know how to put into words why she had asked Emma to come. It wasn’t as if she viewed her as some sort of human good luck token, surely things had happened in Emma Swan’s life which were less than perfect. But somehow the woman also seemed somewhat blessed in having those terrible things turn out into good ones.

Perhaps she felt it the author would not appear for her, they would appear for Emma. Perhaps such a creature, a venerable source which even the dark one had been afraid of would be more attacked to Emma’s light magic than her greyer. Regina didn’t know, but they had been searching the house for hours and she could sense that Emma was growing both physically and mentally tiered.

“One more time though the library.” Regina muttered. Perhaps the sisters of fate would answer her there as she looked up at the rows and rows of empty books which almost reached to the ceiling.

Why have the empty books? Was there some property within them which made the stories real? Was it the paper they were printed on or the binding process? What was it that made them all work, what made the one that Henry have work and not any of the others?

“You have to believe.” Regina turned around as she heard the small voice clearly.

“Did you hear that?” She looked at Emma who seemed spooked. She had heard it. “Is someone here?” Regina called out louder, she was terrified. But she heard nothing else. She saw something out of the corner of her eye, movement perhaps in the upper levels of the bookcases. Regina pulled the long wooden ladder towards herself, climbing without caution as she reached closer and closer to the top. Something was up there, she knew it, she believed in it.

“If you ladies wouldn’t mind… I would prefer it if you weren’t, to use a favorite word, a nuisance.” The voice was coming from her left and Regina snapped her head to look at the figure standing in the doorway of the library, down below Emma was looking at him to.

Suddenly Regina felt her body slipping backwards as the ladder disappeared beneath her. She felt weightless for a moment the whole world stopping as she realized it was too soon. She had just gotten what she wanted, she wasn’t ready to fall to her death.

She stopped in midair hanging in the rafters of the library as she looked down at Emma who was slowly bringing her down to the ground. Regina gave her a small nod of appreciation as they both turned and looked at the old man standing in the doorway.

He was thin, his long face lined with age and spotted, and his hair was neatly kept but completely white. He wore a grey suit, a nice looking and yet timeless outfit. He was the sort of man Regina would have never remembered if she had seen him before. The combination of face and general ordinariness which allowed a person to pass through most of life unnoticed. And yet here he stood looking at them both.

“Who are you?” Emma whispered. She was stilling holding Regina up even though she didn’t need it.

“I have many names which I have been called in my long life. But the one you are looking for at the moment is _the author._ A rather presumptuous claim in my opinion. There have been other authors before me and there will be after me. But in the case of this story I am the _one_ in question.”

Regina looked at him, her face falling into awe. “There are other authors?” She whispered.

He snickered. “Everyone who ever tells a tale is an author in their own right are they not Regina?”

She shook her head. “But not like you. You have the power to change the story.”

“Well.” He remarked lonely. “That depends on your perspective. Good authors know that you can create characters, settings, plan a course of action; but there will always be someone who surprises you. Suddenly the hero had decided to become a coward, the villain decide to reform their ways or the plot unexpectedly twists. We both have a power to change the story if we want to. And you, both of you, have changed the story into something I could have never dreamed of.”

Emma and Regina looked at each other stunned, and not sure how to take the compliment. “The books.” Emma began “Like the one Henry has. They’re magic aren’t they?”

“In a way you can say that. There are some that view me as a powerful sorcerer. I like to see myself in other ways, but yes the books have magic in them. It comes and goes when someone is in need of them, in need of a story to make them believe a whole variety of things. For you Emma; you and Henry needed to believe in the past you both shared. You need to believe in the world you truly came from and that it what Henry’s book showed you. Books show us the lands we wish to travel to, the heroes who we wish would save us, the love stories we long for in reality, even the tragedy which gives us needed perspective. Books provide us with an endless multitude of possibilities, of safe havens we can retain in our dreams. These are just specified to the reader.”

Emma turned and looked at Regina. “It was _Henry’s_ book.” She whispered.

The man nodded as he walked past, Emma and Regina watched as the books turned into titled volumes some in languages which they understood others in languages which may not even been invented yet. He grabbed one off the shelf and handed it to Regina.

She opened it, flipping through the pages looking at the images of what her life had been of the villain with a cold dark heart she had once been, and the mother she had slowly become. Here she saw images of Storybrooke, of Neverland, of her past with Robin and of her future. “It’s the stories of redemption I find most inspiring.” The author whispered as he looked down at her.

“Is this why Rumpelstiltskin wanted to find you. To take this power from you.” Regina asked tearfully as she closed her book.

He looked solemn as he hung his head downcast. “The Dark One has been searching for me since before it I was I who held this power. He craves the power to change his own story, but he does not know that he is capable of doing it without me.”

“The choice Henry gave him.”

He nodded. “Sometimes the cup shatters, other times…” He trailed off not finishing the sentence.

“Why did you not appear when he came looking for you, when he tried to summon you?” Regina asked.

“Our paths never cross directly, that has always been the way. Even before when it was neither I nor Rumpelstiltskin who had these roles. We are two sides of the same coin, and we can never really look at the other one.”

Emma let out a small huh. “Your opposites. Ying and Yang, he is dark and you are light.”

Regina was shaking her head. “How is that possible?”

“In this world there is a law of the conservation of energy, it applies to magic as well. For every dark force there must be an equal one of good, an assuring thought. Combined they can equalize the balance.”

Emma was being to remember what had happened days ago when they had stood on the town line. Rumpelstiltskin had dived for the cup, and the dagger had turned to elements in Henry’s hand.

“Then why come back now that the darkness has been defeated.” Regina asked. She had gotten her ending, she had seen him what more could there be worthy staying for.

Emma was watching as he walked around the library, in his wake the books were beginning to disappear off the shelves. He was here, because it was time for him to leave. “The story is over isn’t it?” Emma whispered.

He stopped turning to her. “The story is never over, the good ones never are at least.” He walked towards them both. “The stories worth repeating have been passed down for hundreds, thousands of years. A good story teller never tells the same story twice… Perhaps the setting is different, perhaps the hero had dark hair next time, perhaps the time period is different. But the morals, the lesson, the tragedy is always the same.

“For me my chapter is Storybrooke is almost over. Perhaps we will meet again one day; I have not decided yet. A good book is never over when you close the cover; the characters and places live on in your imagination for as long as you choose to remember them. I may be leaving but you will continue here in a life perhaps less interesting than the past few years. But the story lives on.”

“So this is our happily ever after?” Regina asked.

He stood silently looking up at the ceiling above him. The books were all gone, even the one in Regina’s hands. He threw his hands up into the air and imagines came swirling by. Faces and places that they recognized and ones they did not. Some looked like the very people they knew the citizens of Storybrooke but in another time and place where they acted out a story. And then came the voices, singing, shouting, yelling as they passed by the spinning images.

_When you wish upon a star._ A little grey bird was turning into a swan. _Any happy little thought?_ A cartoon fox dressed like a man was holding a bow and arrow. _You must be swift as a raging river._ A woman was dancing in a grand ballroom with a bear in human clothes. _LET DOWN YOUR HAIR._ Two girls were walking through a forest one in red one in white chasing after a bear. _Go on little nightingale, go on._ A man was walking proudly through the streets wearing absolutely nothing, his head high as if he was wearing the finest silks. _This porridge is just right._ Seven doors were opened, light streaming out of all of them as a woman bathed in red wept. _Run, run as fast as you can._ A woman was running away from a palace, her shoe falling off her foot behind her. _Then maybe in your dreams that’s who I’ll be._

“Not every tale has a happily ever after Regina. Sometimes tragedy wins in the end, but those stories are no less important than the ones where there is joy. I don’t like to use the phrase “happily ever after” when I tell tales.”

Regina looked at him, realizing who he was and that he was soon going to disappear from her once again.  “Then what do you say Henry?” she called out after him.

“The truth.” His voice, the voice of the child he had been called out in the silence of the empty library. “They lived.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stories Referenced in the montage:  
> Pinocchio, The Ugly Duckling, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Snow White and Rose Red, The Nightingale, The Emperors New Clothes, Goldilocks, Bluebeard, The Ginger Bread Man, Cinderella, (that is a bit of foreshadowing)


	24. Day Twenty Four: Worries

She awoke to hear the sounds of gentle banging and loud voices. At first she was afraid, wondering possibly what it could be at this hour. She feared for the worst as she turned over and looked at the time on her cell phone, it was nearly ten. Cursing she stumbled out of bed and put on clothes as she went to see the source of the banging in the next room.

“Wait Emma don’t come in.” She heard the shrill sounds of Mary Margaret as the woman stood at the doorway of the nursery.

“Why?” Emma asked with narrowed eyes as she looked into the room past Mary Margaret’s shoulders. She could see David, Killian and Robin all standing around looking somewhat flummoxed as they knelt over something on the ground.

“Because of the paint fumes.” Mary Margaret said with a small shake of her head as if it was the simplest answer anyways.

She sighed. “You know that I was just in the other room right?” Emma asked her stubbornly as she tried to look in but her mother pushed her away once more. It was a room in her house, a room for her child she would like some input in the place. “Well what’d you want me to do then?” She looked at her mother with frustration.

Robin turned around. “You could go upstairs and look after Roland for a while so Regina could come down and help.”

Emma nodded as she turned away. She didn’t know how she would entertain the boy, but if she was going to raise a child of her own she had better get used to being around small children. Regina smiled as she came up stairs, showing her the whole tote bag full of books, coloring and Legos for the little boy to play with before heading downstairs.

“Hey Roland.” Emma said watching as the boy looked up at her with a small smile. “What are you doing?”

He didn’t reply but he was clearly playing with the Legos. She had never played with any of these sorts of toys when she was little. His small hands took a hold of the large bricks and stacked them on top on one another. Each time he pressed down to create a connection he let out a small grunt. “What are you making Roland?” She asked him.

“A City.” He said. To her it looked nothing like the sort. It was stacks and stacks of tall bricks, but in his mind she assumed that it was a world.

“Do you want help?” He nodded and she sat down next to him on the floor placing things together when he handed them to her.

They worked in silence for a while, the only sounds begin the soft snores of Lady which often made him chuckle. Emma wondered how much he understood about what was happening, if he knew that Marian was not coming back. He had been in the forest with Henry at the time he hadn’t seen her die like Emma had. She had been in and out of his whole life he wondered how much he really knew of her. Or how much he would come to remember her later in life.

Still it was strange to see Regina with him, knowing that many years ago that had been the way she was with Henry. She made a better mother than Emma would have guessed, the revelation reassuring to her.

“Is Henry your baby?” Roland asked her as he moved around the large Lego truck.

Emma smiled. “I guess so, but he’s not a baby any more he’s grown up now.”

Roland nodded “Why does Henry have two mommies?”

She sighed. “Well I had Henry is my tummy just like this.” She patted at her second child. “But when Henry was little he went to live with Regina, and I didn’t see him again till he was older.”

He looked at her, his head tilted. “Just like me. But I won’t see my mommy again. But that’s okay.” He added in a clear and bright voice. Unable to comprehend in his youth the sadness in his statement.

He pulled out a book for her next and they sat together on the couch, reading him the tales of a Sam and the Firefly again and again until he looked about ready for a nap. He fell asleep on her lap and she sat watching him sleep unable to get up.

Mary Margaret found then after a half hour of this. She smiled at her daughter as she sat down next to him.

“We are almost done downstairs.” She said in a small whisper.

“Yeah I heard some arguing, what was that about.”

Her mother smiled at her. “You’ll see.” She said as she looked in the book in Emma’s hands.

Emma looked at her, Mary Margaret seemed on the outside to be the kind of person who was good with kids. She had been a teacher after all in this world. But sometimes Emma felt that even Henry was too much to deal with. She looked down at her large stomach suddenly realizing that she may not be ready for this. “Mom, I’m scared.”

Mary Margaret pulled her in as close as she could with the little boy in between them. From the looks of it there seemed to be no problem, but she could understand her daughters worries. “You’re going to be fine Emma. I had the same worried before both you and your bother were born. And with both of you sometimes I still worry. But you are not alone and there are people all around you who have done this before. You’ll be surprised what comes to you.”

She could see how she was right. “Yeah but this is like, forever of someone looking up to you and expecting you to have all the answers.”

Mary Margaret laughed. “Says the daughter who is the same age as me and who still looks up to me, even though you don’t admit it.” She paused. “You’ve done a good job with Henry so far. Just because to don’t have the world’s best parents doesn’t mean you can’t be a good one. I mean come on, how good of step mother do you think Regina really was.”

Emma nodded, noting how strange this whole situation was but that was family. Strange, full of feuds which could never be fully explained, of unlikely bonds and kooky relatives who you only talked to on the holidays. Emma and always wanted to be part of a family and now she was. And it included her own doubts about her own maternal abilities.

“Emma love.” She looked up to see Killian in front of her. “Come down and see.”

Somehow she and Mary Margaret were able to both stand up with leaving the sleeping boy undisturbed. Emma walked down the short staircase cautiously, knowing that she would soon be glad to walk down it with seeing where she was stepping. Killian was smiling as he threw open the door to the nursery.

The walls were a light shade of tan, half of them covered in painted trees the other half ocean waves. An old rocking chair was sitting in the corner covered with pillows. There was a large chest of drawers which had a changing station upon it, and a small white crib with a mobile of sea and woodland creatures. All the gifts which they had been given days before put away.

“It’s perfect.” Emma said as she suddenly could see herself in this room. It was the combination of both of them and it worked just like they did. She walked towards the crib, it was old and she looked at it somewhat confused.

“It’s was Henry’s.” Regina whispered.

Emma turned to look at her, tears in her eyes as she did not know what to reply. She nodded her head in thanks finally feeling fully prepared. The reality of it all was hitting her as she looked around the nursery filled with the people she loved all here supporting her. Three weeks ago she had stood in her parent’s kitchen crying, asking for them to support her in the great unknown which she was embarking on. But she had never expected the support from everyone else.

Killian was wrapping his arms around her as she looked at the toys that were in the room. Henry’s old crib, it seemed fitting. That was something families did, they passed on rocking chairs and bassinets through generations until a piece of furniture became something more. None of them really had that here. They were from different realms and times, they were thrown together into this town with what they had on their person when they came here and nothing else. But all those traditions had to start somewhere. A crib, it had been Henry’s it would be his siblings, Emma wondered how many people would come to sleep in that crib in the years to come.

This was her life now, her world, all of their world. And they looked around at the little nursery with an acceptance of that fact. This child would certainly not be the first to be born into Storybrooke, but it marked a change in Emma and Killian’s lives which could not be forgotten.

“Oh ummm.” David was moving about pulling out something from a bag. He handed it to Emma, a white blanket just like the one she had. “It doesn’t have a name yet but…”

Emma took it from him with a teary smile. “Thank you.” She breathed as she looked at it. “All of you, thank you for all the help over the past few weeks.”

“Did you really think we wouldn’t help out Emma?” Regina began. “After everything you have done for all of us, this is the least we could have done.”

Emma knew she was right, but the point didn’t need any more enforcing, she may have had her worries but she was not alone in this journey.


	25. Day Twenty Five: City Hues

Above her the city hues seemed to sparkle in a way which she had never remembered. New York had only ever seemed enchanting to her in the year that she had lived here with Henry. Still she walked up to the Grand Hotel, looking up at all architecture of a time long gone by.

Inside the hallways were lined with red and gold carpet and tall parlor palms making it seem tropical as the voices from the rooms could easily be heard as she walked past them. There was laughter, crying, and the sounds of a couple arguing. She shook her head, you would think that such a fancy hotel would be more soundproof than this.

Suddenly she was standing in one of the rooms, a wall full of windows looking out across the sea. The room was sleek and modern, nothing like the antiquated hallway of an era long past which she had just walked through.

“What are you doing dearie.” Her head snapped around to see Rumpelstiltskin, still wearing the suit he wore in this era, but his skin was once again glittering gold.

“I’m here to…. here to…” she was floundering in her pockets, searching for something that wasn’t there as he got closer and closer to her, his eyes black and soulless.

His hands were on her shoulders, slinking down to her stomach. “What’s this?” He whispered in his ear as he placed his hand on the small swell of her unborn child. “Shall I take care of it for you?”

And suddenly it was gone, her shirt flapping in the wind as she began to scream. “I’m pregnant with Killian Jones’ baby.” But all Rumpelstiltskin could do was laugh. She was running down the hallway, disembodied hands reaching out and grabbing at her. “I’m pregnant.” She muttered to herself. She saw Rumpelstiltskin laughing at the end of the corridor, holding a bundle in his hands. “That’s my baby.” She yelled as she reached him but he dropped it to the floor and there was nothing there.

She was crying and driving as fast as she could, tearing through the city of New York as fast as she could. Her phone was vibrating next to her, she reached into the tan boot to grab it. Her fingers were slipping, the phone was stuck down in the heel and she couldn’t get it out. Finally it slipped into her hands and she pulled it out with relief, her eyes not on the road as she swiped and swiped at the screen trying to answer the call. But it never let it pick up, going to voice mail as the forest grew thicker around her.

Her eyes opened and saw only darkness.

It was a dream, she reassured herself. It had to have been the details alone were too farfetched to be possibly even for her own life. A shoe inside a phone, the strange hotel, the baby….

In the darkness she sighed as she felt her ever growing stomach. She closed her eyes trying to go back to sleep, but it was impossible she kept remembering the sheet panic she had felt within the dream.

She stood shuffling her way out of the bedroom and into the dark hallway. The sun had not risen yet, and she shuddered to think about the time as she walked back and forth trying to calm down. It was a dream, a silly dream, a trick of her subconscious. But she still couldn’t shake the thought that it had felt real.

There had been a boy in one of her foster homes who had once said that you really knew you had found a home when you could navigate the place in the darkness of night. This was her home, Emma thought to herself, finally after thirty years she finally had a home of her own. But still her fingertips gently touched the walls as she made her way into the nursery. She sat down in the rocking chair looking at the outlines of the shape of things to come as she gently rocked back and forth.

Soon there would be a baby here, a real baby, her baby. She was still afraid. Even after what her mother had told her yesterday she was afraid she would make mistakes. She rubbed at the child within her who was gently moving, all parents made mistakes. If they had ever been anything that these fairy tales had told her it was that they made mistakes. She didn’t want to make mistakes with her children but at the very root of it this child was a mistake. They were never supposed to happen.

“But I’m so very glad you did.” Emma whispered to it as she looked at the room of the forest and seas. She wondered if her sons and daughters would ever go back to those places, if they would ever live in that world. Maybe by the time they had grown up they would have found a way back to those realms and her children would be able to visit the places from the stories they had been told.

But for a while Emma realized, for a very long while her second child would live unaware of the truth about the original citizens of Storybrooke. Surely this town could not go unforgotten along the coastline of Maine. In time the rest of the world would stumble upon it and like superheroes they would hide the identities of the people they had once been in order to avoid attention. The Storybrooke she knew where people were referred to as queens and fairies would soon be replaced in a world in which she would have to pretend that her mother was her sister.

She through of that future as she rocked away in the nursery, wondering if her second child would have magic, when her first child would show his own. And as sleep slowly came over her she knew what she needed to do when the sun rose.

**

The sky was darkening. It reminded Emma of the time she had spent outside of Storybrooke, back when there had been no days but only darkness. The weather forecasts were predicting heavy snowfall and everywhere around her the town on Storybrooke was preparing for the storm. She walked along the streets waving to its citizens, just as she always had. Nothing was different, except that everything was different.

The bell still rang when she opened up the door to Gold’s shop, however the insides were cleaner than it ever had been. When he appeared he had a sheepish look on his face, as if he should be frightened. She wondered if he should be.

“Going somewhere?” Emma muttered as she noted the suitcases by the door.

He nodded. “I promised my wife to show her the world.” He began slowly. Emma looked at him trying to see a difference in the man she had known for the past few years. But she didn’t perhaps it was a defensive instinct but all she saw was the man who offered her son darkness. “Or am I being sent away.”

Emma was silent, when she finally spoke her voice was authoritative. “No.”

“Good.” Something about his hint of a smirk irritated her to the core.

“My son has every intention of becoming nothing like you, your father, or your son, and as his mother I support that.” She said gruffly “Sadly he comes from a long line of cowards from your side, and that’s a hard thing to break away from.  You can try and say that you were processed by a darkness, some people might believe that but I don’t.  You and I both know the level of free will that you had when you were the Dark One. Love or magic, that was the ultimatum that Henry gave you and we both know you wanted both.”

He was visibly fretting, and perhaps it was a little sadistic of her to be happy to see him squirming in his shoes as he realized that she had the upper hand. “So what are you saying Swan?”

“Go see the world, take your time. Come to grips with your mortality and the fact that you really do love Belle, because the Rumpelstiltskin who returns needs to be better than the one who left.”

He looked at her indifferently. She was almost afraid that he was going to argue, that he would tell her that she knew nothing of this world. She thought back to the days before, to meeting the Author in the mansion. A great force of light and darkness, the two sides of the same coin. She knew even now, that he would be angry to know that she had met the source of power which he had been searching for.

His magic had been taken from him, tricked out of him. He had screamed and been upset he had looked at Emma with resentment the moment he saw her emerge from the woods. She could understand it, she really could, and not too long ago she had been the person who had some of the same resentful feelings towards him and others. But she had let them go, she had learned to accept her place in the world, and she hoped that he would as well.

“Fine” He replied briskly. Perhaps he was growing to be a better man, perhaps the love of a good woman had warmed his heart. She knew it to be possible, she had done it herself, and yet she seemed so hard pressed to believe it in his case. “Goodbye for now Mrs. Swan.”

She took her cue to leave wordlessly, stepping back onto the streets which suddenly seemed warmer as she walked down them once more.


	26. Day Twenty Six: Snowed In

“Snow Day.” She heard the voice of Henry call out loudly from upstairs. She was beginning to look forward to a day when she would finally get some quiet time with Killian. She looked over at him, watching him eye the ceiling suspiciously.

“What is a snow day?” He whispered as he grasped under the covers for her hand.

“It means there is too much snowfall for them to justify opening the school.” She looked at the time, it wasn’t even six yet. “Then go back to bed.” She yelled up at the ceiling. Sinking into the warm comfort of the pillows and falling back asleep.

Forty two minutes later she was awoken by sharp barking. She sat up slowly, suddenly feeling heavy and slow like she had in the last few weeks before Henry was born. She labored to the door, where the dog was pawing at the wood. “Lady.” She hissed as she rubbed her eyes and walked out into the kitchen and dining area.

At least two feet of snow had fallen in the night, judging from the amount piled up along the sliding glass door. “You can’t go outside in the snow.” Emma muttered as she went to grab the dog food. “Or at least I’m not taking you. Go and bother Henry.” She added watching as if bounded away.

Suddenly the house was awake and full of life, doors opening and closing as she made breakfast, the snow still gently falling outside of the window. Killian and Henry were both slinking around in their pajamas. It was comforting to see the two of them in such a natural state moving around as if they had known one another for ages. As Henry sat at the table reading, and Killian shadowed her in the kitchen, spending more time with his arms around her than helping.

She worried if perhaps as sheriff she had any duties in which she need to take care of, but in her mind this was the perfect time for her father to officially become active sheriff. They got dressed only for when Dr. Whale announced that he would be making a house call. And spent the rest of the day snuggled inside watching as the snow began to let up.

Henry was in charge of the movie selection, which ranged from Month Python and the Holy Grail to…

“Peter Pan.” Emma said in shock when he clicked on the animated film on the screen. “Really Henry.”

“I’m more interested in everyone’s reactions than anything else.” He said with a smile as the film began to play.

There were a multitude of snide comments, some more colorful than others as the film went on. But in the end they were laughing at the mischaracterization of so many strangely familiar faces. “That crocodile was just irritating.” Killian mutter.

“Oh well somebody go tell Disney that the phrase crocodile in relation to Captain Hook is a metaphor. It is a fictional movie for children Killian and obviously it got most of the facts wrong.” Emma replied with a smile.

“You know back in my day….”

Henry groaned “You had to walk five miles to school all uphill both ways during a blizzard?”

Killian looked at him strangely. “No we didn't have a thing called the Internet to keep us occupied during poor weather.”

Emma giggled “That is not the most incriminating thing we could be doing with our time. At least we won’t be having any blizzard babies.”

Killian eyes raised. “Excuse me.”

“They say when there is a blizzard or a black out, some people _you know_ , to kill time and nine month later. Blizzard baby.”

“I hate to break it to you love but you could be having a baby during a blizzard.”

Emma shook her head. “We have an agreement.” She said gesturing to her stomach. “It’s not going to be born until we can safely drive to the hospital.”

His eyes narrowed. “It’s not like it can sign a contract. And from my understanding you were exactly born at the opportune moment.”

She hit him playfully. “Are there any Peter Pan sequels or live action adaptations we could watch next Henry?” She felt him pull her in closer and she leaned against his chest in silence as Henry scrolled through the Netflix screen.

She remembered when they had done this twenty six days ago. They had sat on the bed waiting for Regina not knowing what the next moment would bring. Now here they were comfortable, safe, happy and in their own home. It wasn’t going to happen like this next time. Or at least Emma hoped so. Their next child could be planned, would take another eight months to come into this world. A month ago she wasn’t ready to be a mother again, now she was already thinking about the next time.

The past thirty days seemed like it had taken the span of a novel, twists and turns and plot points and now she was just wanting for the resolution. Not for the story to end, she would live on past the final chapter, but at least for some sort of wrap up. But in another way it seemed as if it had all been done in under the span of a week. There had been days of hurried motion and of endless planning, days when it seemed as if nothing was going to work out. But in the end it had.

Henry found another movie, not related to fairy tales at all and as the sky darkened on the first day of being snowed in Emma felt content.


	27. Day Twenty Seven: Date Night

The snow was beginning to melt, slowly and surely it was beginning to melt as Emma looked out at the day which had mostly past her by. Hot chocolate and stories were how she had occupied her time as they all wandered about the house. They avoided each other for the most part, not out of any great dislike but simply for the fact that they had spent so much of yesterday with one another.

“Hello James.” Killian whispered as he rubbed at her stomach.

Emma rolled her eyes. “What if it isn’t a boy? I’m serious.” They had never had it confirmed that it was a boy but he was so stubbornly sure.

“Jamie?”

She laughed “So our daughter will be Jamie and our son will be named James, that’s confusing.”

He looked up at her biting his lip, waiting for her to catch what she had said. Weeks ago they had mentioned it, the possibility of having another child if this one had not happened, but she had nearly just confirmed that they would. “Emma….” He breathed, she still hadn’t realized what she had said.

“What?” She hissed at him.

“So we’re going to have two children then? Not included Henry?”

Her head fell back as she just realized what she had said. “Maybe, what do you think?”

He pulled her closer to him. Years ago the idea of every choosing to be a father would have been out of the question. Certainty neither of them were planning on becoming parents now, but they were also not shying away from it as well. This was the future that they had each wanted, fate had just thrown them together a little ahead of schedule.

“I would like that.” He replied with a smile.                              

“So would I” Emma replied.

And the rest of the day passed by with little incident. She awoke from a nap in the late afternoon to hear the sound of mellow jazz music playing and the smell of something good cooking. She rose stumbling down the hall towards the kitchen where she laughed as she saw Killian standing in front of the stove swaying to the wordless music.

“What are you doing?” She whispered, watching as he turned around a look of concentration on his face. The table was set with flowers and candles, it was obvious what he was doing she just couldn’t figure out why.

“Date night.” He replied with a smile as he turned back to the stove stirring away at a pot with unknown contents. Curious she walked towards him. “No sit down.” He added shooing her away.

Emma did as she was told, sitting at the table twisting her wedding band around her finger as she watched him move about. They had never gotten to date much before their relationship became seriously committed. There had been their first date, the one where she had asked him out. There had been a few after the ice wall had fallen, but the bulk of time spent together in the past had been in nonromantic settings, saving people, places, Storybrooke time and time again. There had only ever been normal moments, sandwiched in between the unusual norm. Emma looked at her husband knowing that from now on their lives would be more normal, not perhaps the boring suburban life but some semblance of calm. The town of Storybrooke would be calming down for the foreseeable future and it was unusual the amount of comfort which that brought her. Finally there would be peace, finally she would be able to rest her head as the problems turned trivial rather than catastrophic.

“Where’s Henry?” Emma asked as she watched him begin to plate food.

“Upstairs.” He replied as he placed a plate in front of her and sat down across the table.

“So you just sequestered our son upstairs so we could have a date night in the middle of a blizzard?” she mocked him.

His head tilted. “We have an agreement. He’s got the dog, pizza and some movies. Don’t worry about him” He laughed.

Emma looked down at the plate in front of her, chicken, rice and green beans it didn’t look half bad. “I thought you didn’t how to cook.”

“The internet can be very helpful.” Killian replied. He reached out and took her hand. “I love you.” He whispered.

She looked back into his piercing eyes. “I know.” She murmured in a low voice. They both sat back in their chairs, eating and making pleasant conversation as the candle wax slowly began to drip down on to the table and the time passed away.  “So where are you from?” she asked in a high voice.

His head tipped back as he laughed. “Emma, we’re married.” He said hoarsely.

“I know.” She exasperated. “But if this town is going to join the normal world we can’t tell the real story of how we met…. I mean one day we will be able to tell our kids the real story of how I met their father. But I can’t go around saying that I met my husband when my mother and I were sent through a portal, ran into Mulan and Aurora, and met Captain Hook who was pretending to be a… was it a butcher?”

“I think it was a blacksmith.” He paused. “Why are you so sure that the real world is going to come to this town?”

She paused maybe it was just wishful thinking. The real world, the world of this realm; whatever you called it, it was the one she had grown up with. Perhaps she was just hopeful that maybe the world she had lived in and the world which belonged to everyone else around her in Storybrooke could somehow be joined. They could be reconciled together so she wouldn’t have to choose between which one to live in for the rest of her life.

“It’s a charming little town. You saw the other towns up north. There is a port, so ships could find it… it’s along the main highway. It might take years but eventually somehow the outside world will find us if we let them. So what will be our story?”

He leaned back thinking. “Okay so, what if you were stranded at sea and my ship happened to come upon you.”

She snorted. “Something that is believable.”

He rolled his eyes at here. “And what is believable in this world Emma?” He asked honestly

She took a breath. “Um okay.” She leaned forward thinking of how they could twist the truth on how they met. “What if we say that we met when you came to Storybrooke?”

“Oh that’s boring.”

She reached across and slapped him lightly on the arm. “Let me finish. You had just sailed to America from England on your own and were contemplating a voyage around the world.” She stopped looking at him.

“Okay good backstory but how did we met?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

“I arrested you.” He shrugged, it was close enough to the truth. “Smuggling, not that would be too troublesome. What if you were drunk and disorderly?”

“Emma.” He shook his head slightly. “I was sailing, wandering the world. My only home the open seas, never content with what I found. I came here a year after you did, my ship was damaged in a storm and while I waiting for it to be repaired, waiting for a way to leave because that was what I always did…” He was looking into her eyes, his face serious as told the story.

“I met you, one day at the dinner. I sat down next to and even though you thought I looked like nothing but trouble, you were trouble too and so you told me your story. You were a woman struggling to find her way in the world too. Trying to connect to her son, to her family, to the new surroundings of a town which you had been brought to. I knew then after that conversation that I didn’t want to leave alone, not without you by my side. It took a while, nearly a year before you came to tolerate me. Then your son’s father came to town, we kissed it meant nothing to you but to me it was everything. You left town, I was heartbroken, sold everything I had to find you and bring you back. You came back with me to Storybrooke, but you went out with Neal and I waited. He died, I let you have your time to grieve to deal with it.

“And then one day, in the very dinner which we met you asked me why I brought you back to town. And I didn’t tell you the truth that it was because I had been in love with you since the moment you kissed me. I didn’t tell you it was because I had realized that I my home was going to be where in the world you were, but my eyes must have said it. Because all I told you was that in order to follow you, I had sold my ship; and just like that we came together. Falling into perfect unison heading deep into the greatest storm I have ever weathered in my life. We found out about the baby, I proposed, we got married and now here we are. I only regret was that it did not happen sooner.”

He meant every single word and she knew. It was the truth. Their relationship had been filled with waiting, with missed opportunities and building trust. But at their very core they were two people who were alone, who had always been alone. Two souls who had never seen the need to lay down roots, but they had remained in the same place long enough to realize that this was the one person who would change them for the better.

She was wiping away at tears which were falling down her face, “That’s a very good story.” She whispered. Knowing that it was perhaps the best version of the truth which they could tell. “You know in the end we would have gotten here anyway.” She said as she leaned back in her chair her hand resting against her stomach.

He breathed. “So if had proposed before the baby ever happen would you have said yes.”

“Were you planning to?” She asked hopefully.

He nodded. “I was worried that we hadn’t been together for enough time. Also I was terrified of your father.”

Emma chortled “ _I_ would have thought that I was mad to agree to marry you after such a short time too, but I would have.” She said. “I would have surprised myself. I think part of me would have said to wait for some grand romantic gesture, but god you’ve done half a dozen by now. When you held onto my hand.” She paused. “The look in your eyes when you held onto my hand in the dinner, back when it wasn’t really you.” She was shaking her head not knowing how to put the thought into words.

“I should have never been able to do that.” Killian whispered.

“Yes.” She agreed loudly. “But you did, and when Gold nearly killed you… I think my heart decided then that the answer to the question of you and me was forever. It took my brain a while to process that but… that night when I banged on your door, when you held my hair in the crook of your hook, I was wondering why we weren’t living together yet?” She looked up at him and smiled.

He sighed “And I was making those list in my head, of all the things we would need to do. We skipped over a lot steps in our relationship Emma. Date nights included.”

She nodded. “We may have, but in the end I’m overjoyed with how this all turned out.”

“Our souls knew that this was it, before our minds ever did.”

“Yes.” Emma concurred “The years ahead are going to be uncharted chaos.” She added looking at him seriously.

In a weeks’ time they would be raising an infant. There were so many new firsts which were ahead of them, so many tests for their relationship. They would have to balance work and family, and whatever happened to come into town next. They would be supporting Henry through his teenage years and while their new children were infants. There would be a million little things they had not even thought about, but they would all come up in time.

They had been nomads, wandering their respective realms for something to give them purpose. Maybe one day they would wander again. They would pile their family into a ship and set off for new horizons. Perhaps they would travel back to the Enchanted Forest and settle in that realm, perhaps Storybrooke would remain their port. Anything was possible.

“But my adventures will be with you.” Killian replied with a kiss. “And that is all I need.”


	28. Day Twety Eight: Cry

“Mom Harris, Hubert, and Hamish want me to come over, can you drive me?” Henry called out as he stood by the front door.

The snow had melted enough to make driving possible and they were all dying to get out of the house. Killian perhaps most of all, which seemed surprising since he had been a sailor kept at sea on a ship for months at a time.

“I would like to see some other people other than the two of you.” He mentioned politely.

Emma could not agree more and they were rushing to get out of the house and drive to the dinner. “Keys.” She muttered as he tossed them to her. “Yeah we’ll drop you off.” Emma shouted up the stairs as she grabbed her coat.

The world outside was still frozen like a Christmas card. Pine branches bending under a thick blanket of snow, bare tree trunks covered in sparkling frost as the warmer ocean air mixed with the colder air from the woods to create and eerie fog. Emma looked at Henry in the back seat as they drove to drop him off in the house which Merida and her family now occupied. She felt as if she would blink and he would soon be driving, asking if he could have her car. A new car, she had forgotten to get a car. She placed that at the end of the days to do list after doctor’s appointment.

Henry bounded out of the car, practically skating on the ice as he joined in with the three red headed triplet awaiting him at the door. How anyone managed to put up with those boys energy she did not know, their mother must be a saint.

The dinner was crowded, full of people who were telling tales of the past two days. They sat at a table waiting for Ruby who seemed absolutely flustered as she moved about the full dinner. Emma looked at all the people, knowing that soon when the weather warmed that newcomers would be coming to Storybrooke mixing in with those who had already come when the barrier had been broken.

Pocahontas and Tiger Lily were sitting up at the counter talking excitedly. Tiger Lily had been the only one left from her tribe and Pocahontas has very willingly taken her in like a sister in one of the apartments above the diner. They laughed and Emma made another reminder to check on Tiger Lily’s age, make sure that she was going to school that sort of things.

“How are you?” Ruby asked as she looked at Emma, catching up on her breath.

Emma smiled. “Fine, tired but fine. Glad to be out of the house after all the snow.”

Ruby rolled her eyes. “I think everyone is, why do you think this place is so packed? Do you want the usual?”

“Yes please.” Emma watched as she faded away into the crowd.

Everyone was talking lively, telling of what had happened during the blizzard. “Emma.” She turned to see David and Mary Margaret making their way towards them.

They sat down at the table with them, Mary Margaret handing Emma her brother as she looked at her with wide eyes. “When are you due?” She whispered into her ear.

“Monday.” Emma replied though she had a nagging feeling that this child was going to stay in her for another week just to spite her. Any child of Emma Swan and Killian Jones was likely to be some sort of a terror when they were older, they might as well just start now.

They talked pleasantly about boring things and Emma was glad when they finally had a legitimate excuse to leave. The drive to the hospital was slow and long, and Emma could only make more lists in her head as they got nearer. Things needed to be done, things needed to be decided and it seemed as if there was no more time.

Still she went through her daily routine, not paying attention in the visits that she had become accustomed to.

“Emma.” They needed to get a car seat, he would have never known to put that on one of his lists how stupid could she have been to forget. “Emma. How are you feeling?” Dr. Whale was asking her in a stronger voice.

She looked up at him blinking, his face was half a frown. “Fine, same as normal, why?”

Killian was holding her hand just like he always did. She looked at him seeing the same worry as the doctor had.

“Have you felt the baby move at all today?”

“I….I don’t know… I’ve been busy.” She replied brushing back her hair.

“Emma I’m not getting the baby’s heartbeat. We’re going to do an emergency cesarean section.”

“What?” Suddenly the world was spinning and she didn’t know how she felt at all. She was torn apart from it all as if she was looking from the outside in.

Nurses were rushing into the room, stripping her of her clothes and placing her in a hospital gown. Killian was yelling and screaming, they were telling him he could stay but he would have to change into a gown as well. She was crying, tears falling from her eyes silently as they brought in a hospital bed and placed her on it wheeling her down the hall away from everything that was comfortable.

This was not how this was supposed to happen. She was never supposed to be in the town of Storybrooke, if she had stayed in Boston this would have never happened. She would have never met these people, she would have never fallen in love and discovered her own family. It had to be worth something, it couldn’t just slip away from her now, not after all this time.

This was not how any of this was supported to happen. Henry wasn’t here, her parents were here, the baby didn’t…. She was trying not to think about that. The baby that she had never imagined having in the first place, the one she had been so skeptical to love and now was praying was still alive.

The operating room was cold and warm at the same time as people in gentle voices told her to try and take deep breaths, but all she wanted to do was scream. Her body was moved into position, people were touching her but her mind was so beyond all of it now as they injected her with needles to help with the pain and attached monitors to see what was happening. She wanted it to all be a dream like the one she had a few days before. But she had hated that dream, no this was better, this was her ending. Happy or not this was her life.

Killian was by her side, holding her hand whispering to her though she did not comprehend what he was saying. She turned and looked at him, he was just a scared as she was. But they focused on one another drowning out their surroundings as he held onto her with both his hands. He had wanted two hands to hold his own child, now he never might…. it would all be in vain.

_My secret is… I never thought I would be capable of letting go of my first love, my Milah…to believe that I could find someone else, that is until I met you._

She had been so stupid, so foolish to fall in love with him. Look where it had gotten her….

It had gotten her far, it had gotten her want she wanted but everyone in her life had left or abandoned her at some point. Her parents had abandoned her, Henry had left her, Neal had left her, and this baby was going to leave her. But he never had, even when he was under a spell he was still loyal. Surely that had to mean something to the fates which were looking down from above.

Why? Why her, why now? Why was this the man she deserved for the rest of her life? She looked into his eyes and she saw her own determination and stubbornness reflected in them. Maybe this was it, maybe this was her one true love. But with the man formerly known as Captain Hook, it seemed ludicrous. He had loved her first, he had sworn himself to her, he had never been anything less than loyal and he had made her a happier person.

But this was not fair. Not after everything they had gone through.

She bit her lip to keep from screaming, feeling the power rise up within her. The fear came easily turning into anger. She loved him, more than anything else she loved him but she hated this situation; she wanted it to be over. She was grinding her teeth in agony as the tears fell down her face.

Even though they had numbed her she could still feel it as they pulled the child out from inside of her. She could feel it as she lost something, as her child lost its warm protection. They waited, looking at one another but the cry never came.

“I’m so…” She broke away from Killian’s glance for what seemed like the first time in a year. Dr. Whale was holding a small bundle in his arms his face broken.

“Give me my baby.” Emma called out as her hands reached up with so much effort.

He placed the child on her chest small and lifeless she looked at the little girl. A girl, he had been wrong this whole time. Emma looked at her. Oh the life she would have had, she could see it now before her eyes the stories that she would have been a part of.

Killian leaned forward his hand touching his daughter. Emma turned and looked at Killian and silently they knew. He grasped her hand. He had done it a thousand times since then but never as so much with the ferocity as he had when he had broken that spell for a moment.  They both leaned forward over their daughter and kissed her gently, tears and hopes mixed with one another to create the special kind of magic which only true love could conjure.

Then there was an infant’s cry.

Finally she could breathe, large gasps of relief as tears were swimming in her eyes, making it impossible to see as she looked down at the little girl who was beginning to move on her chest. “Hello. We’ve been waiting for you.” Emma called out sweetly as her daughters hand wrapped around her finger unable to grasp the whole thing. Her laugher mixed with sobs as she and Killian heard their daughter come to life.

“Emma we need to check her, and then you can hold her properly.” Dr. Whale was saying. She nodded as they took the small weight off of her chest.

She turned and looked at Killian, feeling as his hands run over her face and hair soaked with sweat, as he kissed her again and again as their daughter cried at the top of her lungs. They had told one another the night before, they would always end up here in the end, and she was so relieved that they had.

“I love you.” He said shaking his head. “God, I love you so much.” He was exuberant both of them knowing just how strong their love truly was.

“I told you it would be a girl.” Emma breathed as their foreheads rested on one another.

He laughed. “How did you know?”

She shook her head delirious on endorphins. “She doesn’t look like a Jamie.”

“No she doesn’t.” he replied. “We’ll have to think of a new name.”

“Go and call everyone.” She breathed, knowing that they would need to close her up and wheel her into a hospital room for her recovery. She watched her husband bounce away as she placed a hand on her heart feeling it beat rapidly. 

It was back in a hospital room where they let them see their baby again. She was small, looking up at them both with wide eyes as she cried gently until she was placed back in Emma’s arms. Emma looked at her never wanting to let her go. “What’s your name sweetie?” She whispered as she touched the soft wisps of hair against her head.

“Elizabeth?” Killian suggested. He was sitting next to Emma on the bed, leaning into her as looked into his daughter’s eyes. They looked like Emma’s at the moment.

“Elizabeth Swan.” She laughed. “That’s the girl from Pirates of the Caribbean Killian, were not naming her that. She’d be made fun of the rest of her life.”

“Diana?”

She looked at him crossly, “Diana Swan sounds like the alias of a superhero, besides there already was a very famous Princess Diana here on earth.”

“Then you think of one.” He breathed happily.

She looked down at the little girl in her hands. “Claire?” She said the first thing that ran into her mind, but it felt wrong.

He shook his head “Charlotte?”

To old fashioned “Caitlin?”

“Christine?”

Emma paused. “Okay we seem to be dead set with a name beginning with the letter C. But what?” She looked at her daughter. “Are you are Christine, Christine Swan. Caitlin Swan?” She looked at her daughter feeling as if it would be easier if the girl could just tell them, but that would not be something which she would be able to do for a very long time.

“Caroline.” Killian whispered his fingers running down her cheeks, the baby gave a small coo.

“Caroline.” Emma repeated with a smile. “Caroline Swan. I can’t think of any fairytale characters named Caroline. Princess Caroline Swan, Queen Caroline Swan, her Royal Highness Caroline Swan.” She looked at Killian who was snickering. “Oh shut it.” She said elbowing him gently. “You know that at some point in her life she will be addressed as such I want it to sound good. Caroline.” She said as she looked her daughter’s eyes. She sank in to the pillows looking at her daughter who was gazing at them so unaware of the spectacular world in which she had been born into. “Caroline James Swan.”

He looked at her with a smile. “James? What if we have a son one day?”

She shifted slightly. “We’ll figure something else out.” She whispered gently. “Here.”

He reached out and took a hold of his daughter with both of his hands, nestling her in between the crook of his arms. She was so small, her little red face looking up at him and only seeing the love in his eyes.

“Hello Caroline, I’m your Dad. You’re mother and I love you very much, even though you really scared us back there for a moment.” He looked at her, the feeling of love and joy which was running through him seeming impossible. He had felt so much elation in the past twenty eight days, but nothing seemed to compare to this. Holding his first child in his arms, sitting next to the woman he loved and feeling so completely whole. “I’m always going to love you Caroline and I’ll always be there for you. I’ll teach you how to sail a ship, I’ll teach you how to fight, I’ll teach you everything you need to know. I will always give you the help and support you need, because you’ll always be my little girl.”

Emma watched the man and child she loved unconditionally before her. She understand now how impossibly difficult it must have been for her parents to place her in that wardrobe thirty years ago. She couldn’t even imagine bringing a child into the world knowing that was what you would have to do in order to insure their safety.

The door opened and they both looked up. Henry was standing in the doorway, a smile on his face as he looked at his parents. Behind him Emma could see the rest of her ridiculous family, her parents, Neal Regina, Robin, but only Henry entered the room. Walking to the side of the bed and looking down at his sister.

“Caroline.” Emma said as she watched her son reach out a hand. “I want you to meet your big brother Henry.” 


	29. Over Six Years Later

Henry looked outside the large windows, you could barely see the ocean beyond with the number of adults who were rapidly running around outside trying to make sure that everything was just right for the party. He had been told that he could not help in setting up with the festivities but he would have rather done it himself if it did not mean meeting the teary eyes of an adult every few moments. So he sat on the couch not really paying attention to the movie that his younger siblings were watching as he overheard an argument over potato salad going on outside.

“Wrong.” His mother Emma muttered as she brushed past the television on her way outside with a stack of plates. Henry rolled his eyes. She always did that, it had become a habit since the winter of 2013 when Storybrooke had become open to outsiders.

Suddenly it became a quaint little summer vacation destination along the rugged Maine coast. Its strange citizens were met with an influx of normal people as the population boomed and the realities of this realm took over the town created long ago to serve as the punishment of misguided queen. Slowly their lives slowly faded to normal as the return of villains to Storybrooke came to a halt, as the doors to old realms were discovered. For those who choose to stay, the past lives they had once lived in a distant lands had become a secret identity.

“Uh, wrong.” Regina said as she poked her head on screen watching the old animated movie. He shot his other mother a look of warning as she too passed quickly by. Only those who chose to stay knew who Regina had once been. To the new families and citizens of Storybrooke she was Regina Mills the wife of Robin, adopted mother of Henry who was the principal of the high school.

Mary Margaret stopped. In public he called her his aunt, it was more logical for Emma to claim that they were sisters rather than mother and daughter. “Oh look David.” She said turning to her husband. “They got it wrong.”

Henry grabbed the remote, pausing the video much to the cries of the little children and stood addressing the adults at large. “Ok everyone needs to stop saying that the movie is wrong.”

Killian yelled back from the other room “But is it so very wroooong!”

“Yes but Caroline doesn’t know that.” Henry said as he looked down at his sister. At six and a half years old Caroline could manage a very serious expression as she crossed her hands over her chest and looked up darkly though her veil of dark brown hair. “So either you stop, or we are watching you know what?”

Killian’s head flew out from around the corner. He was older now that when Henry had first met him, lines beginning to form on his face his hair a little bit longer and his eyes no longer thickly lined, though he did still have a tendency for wearing black. “You wouldn’t dare.” He hissed at Henry.

Her turned at looked at Caroline at her shining round green eyes. “Take it away kid.” He laughed.

She took a big breath and the voice which came out of her was shrill and off pitch. “Let it go, let it go, can’t hold it back anymooo….” She stopped singing as Killian ran towards her tackling her with two hands full of tickles as he settled down on the couch with her. “Daddy stop it.” She giggled “Why don’t you like Anna and Elsa?” She looked up into his face, her small one ever blinking at him.

He leaned back against the sofa as Henry started the movie once more, Peter Pan, of course his eldest daughters second favorite movie had to be Peter Pan.

“I do like Anna and Elsa, they were both very nice ladies when I met them. But their auntie tried to hurt Mommy and I don’t like to be reminded of that.” He looked at the screen at the silly animated version of himself with the long hair and the pointed face and the hook and he wondered if he had ever looked like that.

“Daddy, Anna and Elsa aren’t real. There a fairytales and Mrs. Oyster says fairytales aren’t real.”

She was too young to understand that they were in fact real without blabbing to her entire school worth of mostly normal kids. One day she would know, she would understand the truth about who everyone in her life really was, who they had been before they came here. The kings, queens and princesses they had all been in different lives and the teachers, mayors and sheriffs that they were in this world. But for now she was a little girl and they were stories of make believe.

Soon they were all sitting down watching the movie which was such a fictionalized account of what had happened in his life. The grownups knew that, Emma, Killian, Regina, Mary Margaret, David they had been there on Neverland they knew what it was really like. Even Roland remembered enough of his past to know at nine years old that the stories were real. But Killian’s daughters; the proudly six and a half Caroline, nearly four year old Addison and just begin to grasp words Lucy all thought they were just silly stories, fairy tales and they were too young to know that fairy tales were true.

“One day when you are old enough,” Henry whispered into his sister’s ear. “I’ll tell you the real story.”

Caroline pouted as she sunk into her father and looking at the characters on the screen muttered in a grumpy voice. “I don’t wanna to grow up.”

Emma, Killian and several other adults in the room snapped their heads at her. “You have to grow up!” They all said in unison

She looked unconvinced until Henry leaned in and whispered at her. “Believe me kid, you want to grow up.”

**

The party was loud and crowded; Henry felt a little bit like a prized show dog as he was shown off proudly by both sets of parents talking about his accomplishments about what he was going to major in at college. He tugged at the sweatshirt that he was wearing, oppressive in the heat but he wore the name of his future college proudly on his chest in green. Dartmouth, at least it was close to home, that pleased his mothers.

He talked with his friends, many of them had come to Storybrooke when he was older after all the curses and barriers had been broken around the town. They didn’t remember when there had been an ice wall, or when the Wicked Witch of the West came to town, or when Peter Pan took over his body. They were normal, they only knew that he had an unusual family situation and that they loved the stories he would tell. For six years these people, both from far off realms and new corners of America had been his friends throughout his teenage years. They had partied, they had been on sports teams, and they had gone to awkward middle schools dances, and high strung proms together. They had gone on class trips to Washington DC and New York City, there had even been a summer history class excursion to Europe.  They had gone on a post-graduation road trip down to Florida, and now summer came to close some of them already moved into their college dorms talking about what the next adventure would be.

The girl formerly known as Princess Tiger Lily was making her way towards him. She smiled, her brown cropped short against her neck as she took wore a sweatshirt bearing the name of some school in the Midwest which she was attending. “Henry.” She called out giving him an awkward one handed hug.

He had kissed her on this fourteenth birthday. Trying to push out of his mind that this was the girl who his great grandfather had once considered his play thing. They had gone out for all of freshman year before their relationship fizzled to an inevitable conclusion “Lily.” He called out as she pulled away. “When do you leave?”

“Hana and I are driving out next weekend.” She said over the roar of the music. Pocahontas had learned quickly that her legacy in this realm was one of a historical figure, it had been Roland who had mistakenly called her Hana to the point in which the nickname stuck. “I guess I’ll see you at Christmas then.” She said with a small smile.

A small hand tugged at him and he looked down to see Caroline pulling at his arm. She was strong willed and stubborn just like everyone had expected her to be, he feared slightly for her first grade teacher. He waved at his friends glad to have somewhat of an excuse to leave the party as she pulled him back into the house. She understood that he was leaving tomorrow. She knew that was why both of Henry’s mommies were crying so much, but in her mind it was all silly. He would be back it wasn’t like he was getting married or something. But one more story. That was what she wanted out of him, so she dragged him upstairs to the room which she shared with Addy and sat expectantly on her bed while he went into his room to fetch the book. “All right which one do you want to hear?”

He looked at their room, its walls covered in stars as his two little sisters smiled up at him. Even Regina and Robin’s little boy, Charlie was sitting there waiting for him. So he settled onto the bed and pulled out the large book which had changed his life eight years ago.

“Once upon a time….” He began with a smile on his face as he felt their small bodies all move to try and see the page, they only carried about the illustrations anyways. “It was the day of Snow White and Prince Charming wedding. They had waited a very long time for this day to come and they were both very happy as they stood in front of all their friends and family to proclaim their love.” There was a snicker from Caroline, she didn’t like the love stories yet. “But just then the door flew open and in stepped Snow Whites step mother, the Evil Queen.”

“Mommy.” Charlie said proudly as he pointed at the image of Regina.

Caroline looked at him cross. “Where’s my mommy.” She said as she flipped through the pages of the book so roughly that Henry was afraid she might tear them.

“Hold on, hold on.” He raised the book high above his head, and flipped forward to the picture of his mother’s very first ball. “See” he pointed at the picture. “There’s Mom and there’s Dad.”

She leaned in her mouth open in awe as she looked at her parents on the page. “Why is Daddy’s hand funny?” she pointed to the hook.

Henry leaned in and whispered into her ear. “Because your daddy is Captain Hook.”

She let out a soft squeal and leapt from the bed, running down through the house and out onto the patio. She was still in her pajamas as she pushed through the crowd Henry chasing after her with a smile as her small hands pushed people aside. “Daddy, Daddy.” She shouted as she spotted Killian who picked her up with a small groan. “Henrys says your Captain Hook.”

Somewhere within the party the drunken laugh of Fergus Dunbroch was resounding across the water, his triplet sons a year younger than Henry writing down a long list of pranks for the boy to play. Lily was standing with a boy named Jason. Regina was bragging to anyone who would listen about how her son had one for the seven percent accepted into Dartmouth. But Sherriff Emma Swan turned to look at her husband and daughter as he had just asked the inevitable question.

She knew how she would have answered. _Yes Caroline, your father was Captain Hook but he stopping being so long before you were ever born._

Killian was laughing as he looked into her little eyes. “Oh Caroline.” He cried out as he hugged her tightly “Look at me, I have two hands don’t I. So I can’t be Captain Hook.”

She laughed “But in the story aren’t Captain Hook and Mr. Darling the same?” She looked at him resolutely and Emma could not argue with her logic.

Killian placed her down on the ground, kneeling so he was level with her eyes. “Then maybe in your dreams that’s who I’ll be.” He said with a wink as he patted her head and sent her back off to bed. He stood looking across the patio at his wife, she was smiling having heard those very words once before.

**

The three car caravan pulled out of Storybrooke Maine at an ungodly hour the next day. They drove in silence as they headed towards Vermont, only the sounds of young children protesting the hours cooped up inside a car keeping them company. But they were a family, his family and Henry was lucky that the entire town had not felt the need to come and see him off to college. It was nearly ten by the time they rolled up to the dormitory, an old brick building covered in vines. Sudden his own family fitting in just as well with all the other frantic families as they unloaded the three cars worth of things into the dorm room.

It was with a small smile that Emma realized that Henry would be the first out of any of them to go to college. He was leaving, taking his first step out into the real world, becoming closer to the man that she knew he was going to be. She watched as the adults all moved in silence torn between the attention of their younger children and the needs of their eldest.

Regina was making and remaking his bed shaking her head each time as she got something wrong. Killian and Robin were both opening up every single drawer and cabinet checking the craftsman ship with a single silent nod or shake before they moved on. Emma was unpacking his clothes, hanging them up as Lucy slept in the chest pack. Roland was carefully opening up each box, pleased with his responsibilities as the second eldest. Caroline, Charlie and Addy were all handing Henry photos one by one with a “Here you go Henry” as he took then and placed them on his wall. It was a small chorus of children’s voices that Emma realized that with this many hands they would be done sooner.

“No more.” Addy called out as they depleted the stack of photos. Emma turned to look to see the wall which was now covered with photographs. There were ones of Henry when he was little in the time when he was just Regina’s, ones with him and Emma sitting on the play set by the water, no doubt taken in secret. Images of the party they had for Neal, of Henry holding each of his new siblings in his hands when they were born, photos of weddings and school plays, of camping trips and sailing adventures. It was his life up on a wall, and seeing the memories up on the wall made her cry even more.

Caroline was digging in her pocket as she sat in the desk chair looking for something frantically.

“I’m going to have to make him another bookcase.” Robin said gruffly as he stood next to Regina admiring the wall.

“Robin making him another bookcase with just encourage him to get more books.” Regina muttered “We already practically live in a house made of Henry’s books.” She added. Emma could see no reason why Henry could not have more books, after all one day he would become the author.

Caroline had found what she was looking for and she smoothest the picture out on Henry’s desk as she smiled proudly. “Here you go Henry. Roland and I made it for you.” She said.

It was a drawing of his families, Henry stood in the middle of the picture taller than anyone else. The real Henry listened as they explained. “This is mom and dad and Charlie.” Roland said as he pointed to the neatly done and clearly label family off to the right. “And my real mom too.” He said as he pointed red faced at a figure label Marian.

“And this is my mom and daddy.” Caroline said as she pointed to yellow and black blurs “And me, and Addy and Lucy. And then behind us all is Auntie and Uncle Nolan and cousin Neal. And then are your grandma and grandma Gold. And that’s Lady and that’s Scamp” She added tilting her head back and smiling widely at him with a toothy grin.

Henry looked at the drawing, tears forming in his eyes. “Thank you. Thank you both.” He said as he tacked it to the wall. Look at it for a moment before getting back to unpacking. They continued in silence each adjusting tiny little things waiting for Henry’s roommate to appear as they all filled the small dorm room.

“Caroline come here.” Henry said as he pulled out a very large book from his backpack and sat down upon his bed, beckoning her. Regina let out a small squeal as her perfectly made bed was ruined as the little girl climbed up on it. Henry took the large book of fairy tales and placed it in Caroline lap. “I want you to have this Caroline.”

She looked up at him, shaking her twisted face. “Henry you know I’m not good with my letters yet.”

He chuckled. “I know, but one day you will be able to read well and when you can I want you to read these stories to Addy and Lucy.”

She crossed her arms. “They’re a nuisance.”

He shook his head. “I am regretting ever teaching you that word.” He leaned in close and whispered. “Caroline they’re your family and family is one of the most important things in the world. Don’t worry I’ll still tell you new stories, but one day I want you to be able to tell you these ones. Because these stories are special and we both know that.”

Caroline took the book in her hands. It seemed too large for her as she struggled to hold onto the whole world. “One. Last. Story.” She said defiantly.

“Alight.” Henry said patting on the bed. “Addy, Charlie, Roland lets go you know the drill.” They all climbed upon his head as Henry cleared his throat and began to tell a new tale.

“This is the story of a Knight, a Queen and a Maiden.” Henry said with a smile. “Once upon a time there was kingdom under attack from evil powers. A great King had called upon all his neighboring rulers asking them to join forces and fight those who wanted to destroy not only his kingdom, but the entire world. First he called upon a Queen who not only ruled upon her forest but upon the very seas themselves. She insisted that he inquire to the services of a knight. A special knight who wore armor of white _and_ black and carried with them the sword of a good man and the sword of a bad man. The knight in turn insisted upon the Green Maiden joining them. She was a dweller of a far off forest and it was said that she had powers of magic. Together his greatest advisor told him that the Knight, the Queen and the Maiden could change destiny itself. So the good King collected them all let them join his allies at the r-”

There was a knock on the door, and all heads turned as they looked at the tall, and muscular blond young man standing it the door way. “Is one of you Henry Mills?” He said with a broad voice.

Henry sprung up from the bed and moved to shake the other boy’s hand, “I am.” He said fluttered. He looked so small next to his roommate who had the body of a football player. “This is my family, it’s a little bit complicated.” He chuckled.

“Don’t worry my family is complicated too.” The blond laughed. “I guess I won’t be coming to your house for Thanksgiving.”

“Oh we don’t do Thanksgiving.” Henry said quickly he face falling as he realized how strange that sounded. “I mean….” He stammered.

“Well obviously.” Killian said as he took a small step forward. “I’m from England” He began but had no clue how to finish that sentence.

“As am I.” Robin chimed in. “And we both married.”

“Canadians.” Emma said with a smile. “Regina and I are both Canadians.”

The blonde boy tilted his head. “Yeah but don’t Canadians still have Thanksgiving?”

“It’s… different.” Emma replied, feeling lost. And the roommate looked at the four adults in the room trying to figure out their relation to Henry. She might as well help him along.

“I’m Henrys biological mother Emma Swan. _Sheriff_ Emma Swan actually. This is my husband Killian all the girls are ours. Regina Mills is Henrys adopted mother she raised him for ten years before I came back into his life. Robin is her husband, Roland and Charlie are their sons. We all live in Storybrooke, Maine”

“I’m Arthur Penn.” He said shaking all their hands. Looking as confused as she expected him to be. “I grew up New Hampshire, and that…” He paused as a sullen looking young woman with black hair appeared in the doorway with several boxes she placed them down at his feet in a huff, revealing the Greek letters on her sweatshirt. “Is my cousin Morgan, she is a junior here. I should help her.” Arthur added and he left but quickly peeked his head back in to yell at Henry. “Hey so do you happen to have a car?”

“Um yeah the yellow VW bug is mine.” Henry nodded, Emma had given him her old one.

Arthur smiled widely. “We are going to be best friends I can see it now man.” He yelled before he ran off down the corridor.

“Finish the story Henry.” Addy was calling out from the bed, but no one was worrying about the story anymore.

Emma smiled as she could feel the tears coming to her eyes but she was determined not to cry yet. “Why don’t we walk around for a bit and see where your classes are.” Robin wisely suggested and they stepped out of the dorm room.

They walked around the campus which was large. She could see him here staying up all night wanting to read every book in every single library on campus. Writing long winded papers that his professors wouldn’t even bother to grade. He would have adventures here which he would never tell any of his parents about, some which he would have too. He would change, he would grow into the person he was supposed to be. The person he was meant to be.

It all seemed too fast, it seemed as if they had only all found each other yesterday. Regina and Emma both looked at their son knowing that there were days that had forgotten about, moments they hadn’t savored enough, he was grown up, he was nearly independent. Even after they walked around the campus for over an hour, it seemed that all to soon they were once again back in his room, the kids running up and down the hallway as Henry helped Arthur get settled.

“Major.” Arthur grunted, as he began throwing clothes half hazard into drawers.

“Literature. You?”

“History at the moment but I don’t know. I like the picture of your and red head Katniss up there.” Henry nodded, it him and Merida but he wasn’t going to explain. “You seem to be quite a Renaissance man.  Well-traveled too. Something I strive for myself. You thinking about going out for the archery team.”

“Fencing actually.” Henry replied which took both Regina and Emma by surprise. Neither of them could imagine Henry on any sort of organized college sports team, even if it was the fencing team.

“Cool, cool.” Arthur replied with a small head bob. “Still a good way to get the ladies”

Emma opened her mouth to reply but there was a knock on the doorframe as a short African American girl with long hair walked into the room.

She looked at Henry. “Hi, I live across the hall. Do you happen to have any of that tack stuff that we can use on the walls?”

Henry nodded and handed her a blue ball worth of the stuff. “Here. I’m Henry Mills.”

“I’m-” She paused as Arthur turned and she saw his face immediately blushing he looked at her a little bit breathless himself. “Gwen.” She replied in a whisper. “My name is Gwen.”

Caroline leaned into her father’s leg and whispered so that everyone could hear. “She has Tiger Lily eyes.”

Killian laughed “Yes but not at Henry which is okay. Emma…”

She nodded, they needed to all get back to Storybrooke to the lives which needing to be lead, but she was hesitant to leave her son here with his roommate. She was worried that Arthur would cart him off to a frat party or dare him to drive into a lake or do something like she had done in her ridiculous youth. He had never fully rebelled as a teen and that worried her for the years to come. She waited until the girl left and then stepped forward and hugged her son.

“Okay” She breathed through the tears. “I will see you next weekend, please remember to call and email and text. And… just remember that I am a sheriff who is legally allowed to carry a gun across state lines and I will come down for you in a squad car if you get in trouble.”

“Okay Mom.” Henry said, embarrassed he was ready to go out into the world ready to fall down on his own if need be and pick himself back up.

Emma hugged him tighter. “And don’t that calling Killian will get you off the hook… Oh I heard it.” They both laughed at her choice of wording. “Because he will still tell me about the crazy drunk adventures you had.” She replied sternly.  “I love you Henry and I am very proud of you.” She pulled away as Killian swept right in.

He hugged the boy who would forever call him dad, hoping that he had done right on what Henry had promised all those years ago. He hugged the boy who was now as tall as him, still seeing the face of the little boy who had needed to be rescued from Peter Pan all those years ago.

“But of course as your father it seems I should only pass on wisdom about how to prevent hangovers and woo the ladies in order to make you a better man than the ones who came before you. Let the wild romp begin, but also try to learn something in the process.” He whispered into his ear as he said goodbye.

Robin stepped forward next, hugging Henry tightly. It had been the hardest for him becoming more than just the man who was in Regina’s life but also learning how to become Henry’s father. Henry had opened him with welcome arms but Robin had felt for the first few years that he was more of a fourth wheel than another parent to the boy.  It had finally been in their summer camping trips in which thy had bonded over climbing mountain ranges all over America living off of what they foraged for themselves.

“Have good adventures of your own then my boy.” Robin said as he looked at Henry. “And best of luck with your studies.

And then it was Regina.

She took a step forward looking at her son still remembering vividly the little boy she had meet eighteen years ago. She had wanted him badly, but being a mother to him was one of the hardest things she had ever done. Over time he softened her stone heart, made it beat once more as she watched him become strong and brave. It wasn’t the end not for her or for Henry, it was a new beginning a new chapter. She had taught him, not all that she knew, but enough. Enough wisdom and love and magic to send him off now into the world so that he could call it his own.

“I love you.” She said as she hugged her son tightly. Not knowing what else was left to say that had not already been said by the others. She had been worried eighteen years ago that she would not be able to love her son, now he was surrounded by more people who loved him than was possible.

“I love you too Mom.” Henry replied remembering all the good time and the bad time they had together. He looked at all his parents and siblings, he had done this. He had brought them all together with the belief that that fairy tales were real. “I love you all, and I’ll see you next weekend.”

So together they closed the door on Henry, letting him have his own adventures and stories knowing that one day they would hear all about them. They walked in silence back to their cars, strapping in their own children who would one day leave Storybrooke as well, but not for a very long time to come.

It was Emma who broke the spell of silence once again. "Well, we had over six years of peace." Emma said loudly as they stood outside of their cars.

Regina looked up from placing her son in his car seat. "What are you talking about Emma?” She asked in vapid voice

"Oh come on." Emma threw her hands up in the air. "I can't be the only one who sees it. Robin." she looked at him and gestured "This was like… from your era you have to know."

"Emma what are you talking about?" Her husband asked her gently as his hand fell onto her back.

"The roommate named Arthur Penn, the creepy cousin Morgan the girl across the hall named Gwen with the googly eyes. Am I the only one who knows this story?" She was beginning to feel like she was crazy as she looked at them. Suddenly she knew how Henry had felt when he looked at her eight years ago in Boston, how strange it was to be the only person who believed. "King Arthur. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Merlin. Oh my god… our son is Merlin." She added in a whisper.

Regina looked at her with narrowed eyes. “Who is Merlin?”

A smile widened across Emma’s face as she looked at Regina, strangely satisfied in the knowing position she found herself in. “In the legend they always said that he was the one of the most powerful magicians who ever lived.”

They had learned long ago in that house when they had met the old man. A great force of darkness had been turned into a great force of light when Henry had destroyed the dagger of the dark one. He had never show any other signs of magic since then, they had never spoken about it. But Regina and Emma had both knew that Henry, with his love of books and his belief in the power of a story was the author.

“Emma.” Killian sighed as he pulled the keys out of her hands. “I’ll drive. Let’s go you’re just worried that’s all.”

But she said nothing as she sat in the car looking back in the mirror at her three daughters and her family. She wasn’t worried, she hadn’t been for a very long time.

**

They returned to life very nearly normally and as always when it came time for her two eldest daughter to go to sleep, she told them a story.

“Tell one out of the book mommy.” Addy cried out as she looked at the book on the bedside table but she shook her head.

“No this one is better, it’s not in any story book yet.” Emma whispered as she sat in between the little girls in two twin beds, the painted stars on the ceiling above twinkling in a thousand different constellations.

“Then tell it already.” Caroline breathed with a roll of her eyes.

Emma nodded and took a breath. “Once upon a time there was a princess born to a King and Queen. She was a special princess because it was said that one day she would save the whole kingdom but in order to do so she needed to be sent to a land where there was no magic. Her parents did as they were told and they sent her to be all alone in that strange new world.

“It wasn’t easy. She didn’t always have the best times and she made mistakes and got in trouble. She had a little boy of her own when she was very young, but she gave the boy up so some else could take care of him. Then just when she thought she knew how to live her life, her little baby boy who she hadn’t seen in ten years came back. He told her who she was, that she was going to save them all and she followed him to a strange town in Maine where everyone had a secret identity. They really were all the characters from all the stories she had ever read as a child.

“She stayed in that town, she helped the people remember who had they had been. She saved them from dragons and evil witches and snow queens. She even fell in love with the most wicked pirate to ever live. And one day she realized that her love for that pirate and the love of those around her was changing the world. It was taking away the evil and making the world a better place. So one day in a in final attempt to save her city of all those story book creatures, her son made the most evil wizard of all choose between his dark magic and the woman he loved. And even though he tried to fight it, love won in the end. The city was saved for good, and the princess and her pirate married and had three little girls of their own. And some days they were happy, some days they were sad.” Emma paused as she looked at the sleep which had nearly taken over her daughters. “But in the end, they lived.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all thank you. Thank you every single one of you who has read, commented or given kuddos. I am blown away by how many people liked and read this story.  
> There will be more.  
> I am planning to do a collection of one shots, fluffy, angst, little life moments about the future of the Swan family posting whenever inspiration hits. Hopefully I can have the first bit up in about a week.  
> I am also in the process of currently writing a novel length sequel, set a few years in the future, with a couple of interesting twists. I think I will have the first chapters posted in about a month.  
> Thank you again.  
> Elizabeth


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